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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Penn State Nittany Lions are still searching for the program's next head football coach following the dismissal of longtime team leader James Franklin earlier this season.
Franklin has since landed a new coaching job with the Virginia Tech Hokies, and Penn State continues to operate under interim head coach Terry Smith.
Earlier this month, Penn State reporter Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times reported Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer as the Nittany Lions' "primary target" in their coaching search.
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"He's been one of Penn State's top targets from the beginning," Sauber reported. "I think it was, early on, a little bit pie in the sky, of course, Alabama's close game with South Carolina, there was a chance it could have picked up there.
"It didn't, and then the loss to Oklahoma nudged the door open a little bit. I still think Alabama would have to miss the playoffs to make this a real possibility, which, obviously, would include a loss to Auburn to end the year. And I'm sure the reaction down there wouldn't be great. He's been the top target since early on; I know they have a lot of respect for him and what he's done in his career, and he's someone that they think would be an excellent coach here at Penn State."
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On Monday, ESPN college football insider Paul Finebaum dispelled these coaching rumors and called the validity of Sauber's reporting into question.
“I know this would be a good time for me to get on a soapbox and give a manifesto on the absolute pathetic state of sports reporting and journalism, but I think that’s already been done. But it just doesn’t take anything nowadays,” Finebaum said on "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning," via On3 Sports. “It just takes hearing something somewhere.
“You can’t even blame message boards anymore, because I haven’t seen one so long, I don’t really know what they look like. But, it’s just somebody putting something out, and then somebody asking you guys a question or me, and then somebody reporting it as, ‘Oh, Kalen DeBoer’s leaving.’ … I have never heard one ounce of concrete information that indicates Kalen DeBoer is going anywhere.”
More Football: LSU Coaching Drama Escalates as Brian Kelly’s Son Sends Bold Message
DeBoer is in the midst of his second campaign as Alabama's head coach, taking over for legendary program leader Nick Saban before the 2024 season. He has the Crimson Tide poised with a 9-2 record heading into Saturday's Iron Bowl matchup against the Auburn Tigers.
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