Early national signing day for college football began on December 3. For Alabama and head coach Kalen DeBoer, it worked out pretty well, as the Crimson Tide landed the No. 4 recruiting class in 247Sports’ rankings with 20 commitments.
The same cannot be said for Penn State.
As of December 4, the Nittany Lions are ranked 153rd in the country with just two commitments. That’s largely because the school still hasn’t found a replacement for James Franklin, who was fired more than a month and a half ago. Franklin, now Virginia Tech’s new head coach, has been flipping his former commits to the Hokies — helping them climb to No. 23 nationally with 23 commitments.
So, where do Alabama and DeBoer come into play here? The second-year Crimson Tide coach was rumored to be a surprise target for Penn State’s ongoing coaching search.
“The longer the Penn State job remains open, the longer Bama fans need to come to grips with the fact that he may get ahead of their posse and take that job! There’s no way in my mind they would have let today go by without a Head Coach, without having contingencies in place,” Fox Sports announcer Tim Brando posted on X.
But DeBoer shut down all speculation during his December 4 press conference.
Kalen DeBoer Denies Penn State Rumors, Says He’s Staying at Alabama
Rumors that DeBoer and his family were unhappy in Tuscaloosa fueled speculation about Penn State or other potential landing spots. When asked about it directly, DeBoer said this was the first he had even heard of the chatter — and made it clear none of it was true.
“We are extremely happy at Alabama. … We are extremely happy here. Love the challenge. Love the grind. Love this place. There’s never been any link, any conversation, any interest either way. I’m glad we can put that to bed right now.”
Despite a 10-2 record and a potential College Football Playoff berth, DeBoer has faced criticism in his brief tenure following Nick Saban’s retirement. The Crimson Tide, ranked No. 9, are preparing for a rematch with No. 3 Georgia in the SEC Championship on December 6. There is a scenario in which Alabama could be left out of the playoff with a loss, though Georgia appears safe.
What Does Penn State Do Now?
The only reason DeBoer became such a prominent name in Penn State speculation — besides the unfounded unhappiness rumor — was the assumption that athletic director Patrick Kraft must have had a major candidate waiting in the wings. Brando wasn’t alone in that thinking. Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt told Colin Cowherd he believed Penn State was targeting someone coaching in conference championship week.
“I think that they might be going after a guy that is coaching this week, which is why it’s bleeding into signing day,” Klatt said.
DeBoer was Klatt’s top guess, but he also mentioned Virginia’s Tony Elliott and Duke’s Manny Diaz, who previously served as Franklin’s defensive coordinator.
Whoever Penn State ultimately lands, it now appears certain that DeBoer will not be packing for State College.
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