Penn State Waiting on Kalen DeBoer as Head Coach Search Down to 3: Insider

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer is busy getting his team ready for Saturday’s Iron Bowl showdown against the Auburn Tigers, but there’s some coaching news involving his name out there.

DeBoer has the Crimson Tide ranked No. 10 in the College Football Playoff Rankings, boasting a 9-2 overall record and a 6-1 conference record in the Southeastern Conference. Yet is DeBoer looking to leave Tuscaloosa, Ala., after this season?

Will Penn State Get an Answer From Kalen DeBoer Soon?

Right now, the Penn State Nittany Lions are looking for their next permanent head coach. Penn State fired longtime head coach James Franklin, who had just taken the Virginia Tech head coaching job, earlier this season, and is now trying to bring in another big-name coach to fill his spot.

Who’s in the running at this time? DeBoer is one of three names being bandied about by a Penn State insider, along with Rutgers head coach Terry Smith and James Madison head coach Bob Chesney.

“Terry Smith is a legitimate candidate, deserves consideration, very well could be the next head coach of Penn State,” Zach Seyko of the “Locked On Nittany Lions” podcast said. “He allegedly had that interview this week. He’s denying it, saying he’s focused on Rutgers, but it’s been reported that there was a plan to interview him this week.

“Hopefully, he knocked it out of the park because I think Terry Smith can lead this team,” Seyko said. “Where Penn State’s actually going to go, I’ve explained this a little more in depth on another episode. But I think it’s down to three people. Terry Smith is one of them, Bob Chesney, and Penn State’s waiting, Kalen DeBoer.”

“Is there a mystery candidate in there?” he said. “I can’t say there is. I just think it’s interesting because it’s fun, right? It’s interesting, it’s entertaining to say, ‘Who is this mystery guy that is supposedly going to be in this Penn State coaching search?'”

“I can say this with honesty,” Seyko continues. “Penn State and (Penn State athletic director) Pat Kraft probably did not expect this coaching search to go the way that it did. You know, being told no by a lot of prominent candidates. But it’s also the situation.”

Seyko also suggests that if the Texas A&M Aggies hadn’t been having the season they are currently having as a College Football Playoff contender, then Mike Elko probably would be Penn State’s new head coach. Seyko expects a decision from Penn State to be announced next week.

However, Seyko places DeBoer at the top of the list for Penn State, noting that the school may be considering the timing to work out a deal. With the Iron Bowl against Auburn coming up, Seyko suggests that if the heavily-favored Crimson Tide loses to the rival Tigers, then Alabama will run DeBoer out of town.

For the season, according to the PFSN CFB Offense Impact metrics, Alabama’s offense has an impact score of 87.8, grading out to a B+. Those numbers aren’t going to scare any team away, yet the Crimson Tide have proven to be a stout offensive squad when needed this season.

Seyko also sees a potential opening for Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin with Alabama if the Crimson Tide loses. Kiffin, who is coaching his Rebels on Friday against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, has been rather coy on his own coaching situation. He remained so ahead of Friday’s big showdown in Starkville, Miss.

So, it appears that Penn State is in a wait-and-see mode at this time as the school wants to hire its next football coach as soon as possible.