Paul Finebaum blasts reporting linking Kalen DeBoer to Penn State opening

Last week, Centre Daily Times‘ Jon Sauber reported that Alabama‘s Kalen DeBoer had become Penn State‘s primary target in its search for its next head coach. During an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning on Monday, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum ridiculed this report.

“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. “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.”

Since his initial report, Sauber has downgraded DeBoer to No. 2 on Penn State’s head coach targets list, trailing Georgia Tech‘s Brent Key. However, the question remains: Where did the idea of DeBoer leaving Alabama originate in the first place?

Tensions were lukewarm in Tuscaloosa last season after Alabama failed to reach the College Football Playoff in DeBoer’s debut campaign. However, currently sitting with a 9-2 record, Alabama is expected to earn a CFP bid if it defeats Auburn in the Iron Bowl this weekend.

Even if DeBoer were interested, it wouldn’t be easy for Penn State to poach him from Alabama. DeBoer is earning $10.25 million a year from Alabama, not including bonuses. For reference, Penn State was paying James Franklin $8.5 million a year before firing him.

DeBoer is only in his second season with the Crimson Tide and has shown no indication of planning to go elsewhere. Alabama boasts the No. 6 class in the 2026 recruiting cycle, according to Rivals Industry Rankings.

Alabama currently has the No. 6 class in the 2027 cycle as well. Just one win away from a CFP appearance, DeBoer is locked in on his team.

“Coach DeBoer said it best,” Alabama offensive lineman Geno VanDeMark said Saturday. “This is what he told us after the game. ‘If we told you guys you’re one game away from going and competing for what we hoped for and worked for all year long, you’d say yes.’”

On Saturday, Alabama will square off against Auburn at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air live on ABC.