Penn State is conducting one of college football’s most high-profile coaching searches to replace James Franklin, who was fired Oct. 12. Athletic Director Pat Kraft promised a nationwide search for the coach he said possesses a “vision of championships.”
Penn State is hiring a football coach for the first time since 2014, when Franklin replaced Bill O’Brien. It’s a situation no one thought Penn State would be in this year, but there’s certainly talent to choose from.
We’re scouring the list of candidates for the opening at Penn State. In the next edition of our profile series, we spotlight Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer and whether he’s a fit for the Nittany Lions.
RELATED: The case for and against hiring Terry Smith at Penn State
Kalen DeBoer at a glance
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
What to know about Kalen DeBoer
DeBoer has found success at every program he has led, bringing a career 122-18 record into Saturday’s Iron Bowl vs. Auburn. In his first five years as a head coach at Sioux Falls, DeBoer went 67-3, making the NAIA playoffs in each season and winning three championships. He was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
DeBoer went 12-6 in two seasons at Fresno State, and his offense ranked 14th nationally (464.8 yards per game) in 2021. Fresno State’s defenses ranked 82nd and 88th in the two seasons before he arrived. DeBoer flipped those rankings to 20th and 31st in 2021.
At Washington, DeBoer took over a program that went 4-8 in 2021 and quickly changed it. The Huskies went 11-2 in DeBoer’s first season and reached the College Football Playoff championship game in his second. That was enough for Alabama, which poached DeBoer to replace Nick Saban in 2004.
“Coach DeBoer has proven he is a winner and has done an incredible job as a head coach at each of his stops,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said upon hiring DeBoer. “One of the things I told our team is we are going to get someone who is not only a great coach with the Xs and Os, but also someone who cares about his players and someone I’d want my sons to play for, just like I would have wanted them to play for Coach Saban. We got that in Coach DeBoer.”
Why Kalen DeBoer would fit at Penn State
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. / Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Here’s how Kraft described his coaching search parameters in October.
“Our next coach will be someone who embodies everything Penn State stands for: integrity, accountability, toughness, humility and an elite motivator,” Kraft said. “We’ll find a coach who can achieve excellence at the highest level, doing it with confidence and conviction.”
That sounds like DeBoer. He has shown an ability to shape programs quickly and decisively. It took him just one year to turn Washington into a title contender. That’s the timeline Penn State is looking for.
He’s also an offensive coach, a key trait Kraft likely wants. At Washington, his offenses ranked 13th in the country in scoring in 2023 and sixth in 2022. And with Alabama, the offense ranked third in the SEC in scoring in 2024.
But above all, DeBoer and Alabama simply might not be right for each other. After the Tide’s season-opening loss to Florida State, DeBoer went right to the hot seat and still might be there despite coaching the No. 10 team in the country. Penn State could capitalize on the suffocating pressure in Tuscaloosa.
Kalen DeBoer has four losses at Alabama as a 14+ point favorite, in 14 games as the coach.
Nick Saban lost three of those in 139 games.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 30, 2025
Why Kalen DeBoer might not fit at Penn State
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer watches his team play Eastern Illinois at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. / Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images
Before the season, several Alabama players spoke to AL.com about the differences between DeBoer and Saban. They said DeBoer has a “high intensity level” and has “got some Saban in him.” But one player also called DeBoer “more of a partner than a commander.” That draws comparisons to Franklin.
Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton said that, before Terry Smith became the interim head coach, “Older guys made mistakes, and it [went] unrecognized.” Smith has been tougher on the team, and it has played better. So, the Nittany Lions may be better off without a players’ coach, which Franklin calls himself.
There’s also timing. With a win over Auburn, Alabama is in the SEC title game, scheduled for Dec. 6 in Atlanta. A playoff bid likely awaits after that. Penn State likely would have to convince DeBoer to leave Alabama before the playoffs. How long can Penn State afford to wait to hire DeBoer?
Bottom line
This is simple. If Kraft can figure out a way to hire DeBoer at Penn State, he will. It would be a home-run hire and the best-case scenario for the Nittany Lions. DeBoer is exactly the type of coach Kraft wants to hire and may be a better fit with the Nittany Lions than with Alabama.
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