Kalen DeBoer’s first full recruiting class as Alabama football head coach is heavily weighted toward a region that’s nowhere near Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide has signed 20 players so far on the first day of the early signing period for the class of 2025, seven of whom came from California.

That’s more than twice as many players as any other state, with Mississippi and Georgia tied for second with three players each.

“It’s not a secret, is it?” That’s what DeBoer said Wednesday during a press conference discussing UA’s signees. “There are a few people here from the West Coast that we’re already talking about. For me, these relationships are the starting point. And the relationships exist with these players. Of course, identification is part of it. Identification and evaluation, but the relationship component is important.”

It makes sense. DeBoer came to Alabama from Washington, where he had recruited in the Pac-12 division for several years, and before that he had coached Fresno State and worked hard in California. When Nick Saban retired in January, DeBoer had to get to work maintaining the Crimson Tide’s current roster and assembling a staff.

The relationships he had with high school players and coaches on the West Coast continued. In the future, new ones would have to be built with a southeast orientation.

This time it worked quite well. Alabama fielded what is currently the third-largest class in America, according to the 247Sports Composite.

In the meantime, however, DeBoer and his company have worked to establish a stronger presence, both in the region as a whole and in Alabama in particular.

“We continue to emphasize and really focus on the relationships that we’re building in the state and also in the region, but the state was the one that really excited me,” DeBoer said. “Know that we will continue to grow and build trust every year. I think the season we went through will continue to help these high school coaches in the state believe in us and that the tradition will continue. And that’s just part of it, and I think that affects the entire southeast region.”

DeBoer acknowledged that his staff was behind on domestic and regional relations due to the late arrival in Tuscaloosa. He said spring is important on that front and the Crimson Tide has attracted as many high school players from the Southeast as possible in hopes of spreading the message.

He said the Alabama staff met with some high school coaches in January after they arrived, something that continued in the spring and will continue into the future as DeBoer looks to establish himself further in the Southeast.

“This will continue next January,” DeBoer said. “There are additional elements of coaching courses and opportunities to get out here and there. The fact that you can’t be out on any level in December is holding you back from building those relationships. So we have to be creative and open to all opportunities to continue to build those relationships and trust.”

The early signing period runs through Friday. Alabama’s 2024 season continues, with this weekend’s conference title games determining whether it advances to a bowl game or the College Football Playoff.