Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. David Leong-Imagn Images

Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer becomes latest candidate to reject Penn State

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Dec 4, 2025 4:52 PM ET

Kalen DeBoer has been the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide for two seasons.

Yes, he's got massive shoes to fill as the heir apparent to seven-time national champion Nick Saban, but DeBoer has done an admirable job in Tuscaloosa.

In season one, his Crimson Tide went 9-4 and missed the College Football Playoff, but he has them at 10-2 this season and playing for the SEC championship this weekend against the Georgia Bulldogs. He's got Alabama back in the CFP picture, and he's recruiting at a high pace, so it was intriguing to see rumors linking him to the vacant head-coaching position with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Kalen DeBoer vehemently denies Penn State rumors

“We’re extremely happy at Alabama. … We’re extremely happy here, love the challenge, love the grind, love this place, and there’s never been any link, there’s never been any conversation, there’s never been any interest either way (with Penn State),” DeBoer said during Thursday’s SEC Championship head coach news conference (h/t On3). “So I’m glad we can put that to bed right now.”

"We are extremely happy at Alabama. ... There's never been any link, any conversation, any interest either way. I'm glad we can put that to bed right now."

Kalen DeBoer's response to being asked about the Penn State job. pic.twitter.com/uFi1vq1zqO
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 4, 2025

That doesn't sound like a coach who is planning on leaving. Of course, wilder things have happened, and they've happened this season. Just look at how things went down as Lane Kiffin left the Ole Miss Rebels for the LSU Tigers.

This is "silly season" in college football, and anything can and does happen.

Still, DeBoer has something good going on at Alabama. Fans have seemingly come to grips that he's not going to be a replica of Saban. Sure, he's not going to have that long of a leash, and he's going to have to start competing for championships sooner rather than later, but he also has a ton of resources, an all-in fan base that will give money to the program and one of the biggest brands not just in college football, but in all of sports.

In the meantime, the Nittany Lions fired a successful head coach in James Franklin but clearly didn't have a plan to replace him. Now, they're facing a 2026 recruiting class with just two signees, and they're being out-bid in their coaching search by a box of Crumbl cookies.

Penn State may want to sway DeBoer away from Alabama, but there's absolutely no reason for him to leave Tuscaloosa in favor of Happy Valley.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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