$87 Million Head Coach Emerges as Leading Candidate to Replace James Franklin at Penn State
With James Franklin now heading to Virginia Tech and Lane Kiffin firmly established at two top SEC programs, Penn State is beginning to focus more intently on its head coaching search. After LSU and Florida, Penn State is seen as one of the most attractive open positions. While the search has been relatively quiet so far, Penn State reporter Jon Sauber has provided an update with his latest coaching candidate rankings.
In his “Top Five Coaching Targets” list, Sauber included names like Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, JMU’s Bob Chesney, and Brent Key from Georgia Tech. However, it was the name at No. 2 that raised eyebrows: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s second-year head coach.
According to Sauber, DeBoer remains Penn State’s “primary target,” though his status as the top choice is complicated by his current position at Alabama. Despite some challenges this season, DeBoer has positioned Alabama for a solid run in his second year. However, if Alabama’s season takes a downward turn, it could increase the pressure in Tuscaloosa.
Sauber notes that a loss to Auburn could essentially end Alabama’s College Football Playoff hopes, which could create tension in Tuscaloosa and make DeBoer more likely to consider leaving. If Alabama fails to make the CFP, DeBoer’s position could be questioned by both the fanbase and donors, making him a potential candidate for the Penn State job.
While it still seems unlikely that Alabama would part ways with DeBoer so soon, Sauber speculates that the pressure could push DeBoer toward a move if things continue to go south at Alabama. The question remains: would he be willing to leave for Penn State if he feels his time at Alabama is becoming untenable? Much would need to go wrong for that to happen, but it’s something to watch closely.
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