Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer to Penn State rumors: Not interested

Ahead of Alabama's biggest game of the season and in position to qualify for the College Football Playoff, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer said on Thursday that he's not looking to go to Penn State or anywhere else.

"We're extremely happy here, love the challenge, love the grind, love this place," DeBoer said at a news conference for the Southeastern Conference Championship game, which pits Alabama against Georgia on Saturday in Atlanta. "There's never been any link, there's never been any conversation, there's never been any interest either way. So I'm glad we can put that to bed right now."

Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 and is still searching for a head coach as prominent names have been linked to the Big Ten program, including DeBoer, in his second season at Alabama.

DeBoer went 9-4 (5-3 SEC) in his first season, when the Crimson Tide started at No. 5 in the Associated Press preseason poll, rose to No. 1 then finished at No. 17 after losing the ReliaQuest Bowl to Michigan 19-13.

The 2025 campaign has gone much better in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where competing for championships is the standard and winning them had been the reality under DeBoer's predecessor, the retired Nick Saban.

Alabama (10-2, 7-1) is No. 9 in the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday ahead of conference championship weekend. The Crimson Tide, who beat intrastate rival Auburn 27-20 last Saturday to qualify for the SEC title game, defeated current No. 3 Georgia 24-21 on Sept. 27 in Athens.

DeBoer, 51, has a career record as an NCAA Division I college head coach of 56-15, and 2-2 in postseason games, at Fresno State (2020-21), Washington (2022-23) and Alabama.

--Field Level Media