Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer speaks on the return of All-SEC freshman who realized the grass wasn't greener

When Nick Saban announced his retirement, shockwaves were sent throughout the entire ecosystem of college football.

A ripple effect was felt as far as the Pacific Northwest, where then Washington Huskies HC Kalen DeBoer packed his bags, flew to Alabama, and signed a contract to become the Tide's new HC.

But he knew he was in for a challenge, as replacing the game's greatest coach will be no easy task, especially when some of your best players leave for the transfer portal.

But following the return of Kadyn Proctor, DeBoer knows his life just got a bit easier:

DeBoer on the return of Kadyn Proctor

“He [Proctor] was a guy that was gonna play a significant role in the program, and to lose him and now get him back, that’s a big deal for us,” said DeBoer at a Yea Alabama event earlier this week. “I think he’s just done a great job of meshing back with his friends but most importantly his teammates, and excited to get him back in our workouts here this summer.”

While Proctor has been back in Tuscaloosa for over two months, this was one of the few times we have heard DeBoer touch on his return, which is apt given that summer workouts are set to begin at the Capstone.

One of the best freshmen in the country, the 6-7, 360-pound offensive tackle has future top-five pick written all over him, and is a massive get for a Tide offense that incurred losses like Jermaine Burton and J.C. Latham to the NFL, along with Isaiah Bond to the Texas Longhorns.

And while DeBoer is breathing a sigh of relief following the return of the budding star, no one is happier than returning starting QB and Heisman trophy candidate Jalen Milroe.

We saw what happened when his line was stable and a force in both the run and pass...

He looked like one of the best QBs in America.

But we also saw what happened when the line was overwhelmed on the biggest stage of the season, with Milroe having little time to process the defense between sub-par protection, bad snaps, or both.

And for Proctor, while the state of Iowa may be home, he found out quickly that the University of Iowa isn't exactly Alabama, with Crimson and White more fitting than black and yellow.

Related: Kalen DeBoer faces first massive recruiting challenge with local 5-star pass-rusher