Penn State Coaching Search: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Won the Iron Bowl. Now What?

Many Penn State fans watched this year’s Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn with rooting interest, and it’s because of the coaching search.

From the day James Franklin was fired, PSU fans started thinking of Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer as a possible replacement.

Penn State Fires James Franklin

DeBoer currently has a pretty sweet gig, but at the same time, the fact that he’s a guy from South Dakota coaching down South has many believing he isn’t a perfect fit in Tuscaloosa.

When Alabama lost to Oklahoma two weeks ago, speculation online started to ramp up. It started to intensify even more when Penn State beat reporter Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times pegged DeBoer as a top target.

National Insider Paul Finebaum never bought into the idea of DeBoer leaving Alabama for Penn State, and Auburn beating Alabama would have knocked ‘Bama out of Playoff contention, and thus made it easier for Penn State to hire DeBoer if that is what both parties wanted.

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But Alabama beat Auburn, and now not only will be going to the College Football Playoff, it will be in the SEC Championship Game, which will be played next week, well after the point where many feel it would be ideal for Penn State to hire a coach by.

So what happens now?

Is Kalen DeBoer’s candidacy in the Penn State coaching search dead?

It’s hard to say for sure just yet. But at the very least, Penn State will need to work out a lot more logistically because of the timing of the SEC Championship Game (Dec. 6), the early signing (Dec. 3-5) and College Football Playoff first-round (Dec. 18-19), not to mention the transfer portal (Jan. 2-16).