While Florida and LSU have dominated the recent headlines with their back-and-forth struggle to pry Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss, Penn State is reportedly considering some of the top candidates from the second tier of coaches potentially on the move.
Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, Georgia Tech’s Brent Key, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea are considered some of the top “Plan B” options for programs that miss out on Kiffin.
And while Penn State has varying degrees of interest in all of those candidates, depending on which college football insider you ask, there’s one high-profile head coach who’s recently appeared on the school’s radar — Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer.
According to Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times, DeBoer is one of PSU’s top choices and has been since it handed Franklin his walking papers.
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“He’s been one of Penn State’s top targets from the beginning,” Sauber said. “… The loss to Oklahoma nudged the door open a little bit. I still think Alabama would have to miss the playoffs to make this a real possibility, which, obviously, would include a loss to Auburn to end the year.
“And I’m sure the reaction down there wouldn’t be great. He’s been the top target since early on; I know they have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done in his career, and he’s someone that they think would be an excellent coach here at Penn State.”
And while DeBoer to Penn State would certainly shake up the college football landscape, not to mention create another major college football job opening at Alabama, one top CFB insider believes DeBoer isn’t a realistic possibility for the Nittany Lions.
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“I do think Penn State has zeroed in on their guy in recent days,” Josh Pate wrote on X. “I don’t expect Kalen DeBoer to be involved.”
In two seasons with the Crimson Tide, DeBoer has compiled a 17-6 record. Alabama is 8-2 this season and one of the teams on the College Football Playoff bubble. Should the Tide miss out on the CFP for a second straight year, DeBoer may not be such a long shot to land in Happy Valley.
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