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Penn State has taken a bumpy ride along the coaching carousel since it fired James Franklin in October. Its latest uneasy turn came on Tuesday, when reported top target Kalani Sitake signed an extension to remain at BYU.
With Sitake taking his name out of the running, the list of possible candidates to become the next head coach at Penn State is quickly dwindling. But FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt believes there are a few candidates still in the running.
“I do think there’s a few names I’d be aware of,” Klatt said on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Joel Klatt Show.” “I’d be aware of Brian Daboll, obviously last with the New York Giants. I would be pretty surprised if they’re not at least talking with a guy like [Louisville head coach] Jeff Brohm or concentrating on a man like Jeff Brohm.
“And, you by no means know, however the truth that it is lasted this lengthy leads me to consider that there is a man nonetheless teaching this week that is a head coach that is likely to be a goal.”
What’s the newest happening with Penn State’s head coach search? 👀
Daboll has been linked to the Penn State job ever since he was fired by the Giants in November. Whereas Daboll has by no means coached at Penn State, he has a connection to this system as his son, Christian, was a scholar assistant for the soccer crew throughout his time there. Daboll, who went 20-40-1 in his 4 seasons as Giants head coach, additionally labored as Alabama’s offensive coordinator when it gained a nationwide championship in 2017.
Brohm additionally does not have any ties to this system. Nonetheless, he is had previous success within the Huge Ten as a head coach. He went 36-34 over his six-year tenure at Purdue, serving to the Boilermakers attain the Huge Ten Championship Recreation in his last season with this system in 2022. He additionally went 17-9 in his last two years at Purdue.
As for the thriller field candidate, Klatt is not so positive who it is likely to be.
“I do not know who that’s,” Klatt mentioned on which coach working this weekend is likely to be a candidate for the Penn State job. “Clearly, [Indiana’s Curt] Cignetti is locked up. [Ohio State’s Ryan] Day is locked up. [Georgia’s] Kirby [Smart] is not going anyplace. [Texas Tech’s] Joey McGuire is not going anyplace. Sitake is not going anyplace.
“Is it [Alabama’s] Kalen DeBoer? I do not know. You begin to do strategy of elimination. Why’s it taking this lengthy? Why have not they introduced one thing? Is that coach nonetheless teaching? Who’s locked up? Who’s not locked up? Perhaps they’re concentrating on Kalen DeBoer, however I am not completely positive.”
DeBoer, who’s in his second season at Alabama, is teaching the Crimson Tide within the SEC Championship Recreation in opposition to Georgia on Saturday. Whereas a win in that recreation would make sure that Alabama makes the Faculty Soccer Playoff, there’s already been hot-seat speak surrounding DeBoer in Tuscaloosa. Alabama missed the CFP final season attributable to a pair of comparatively inexplicable losses, whereas a loss on Saturday would possibly imply it misses the playoff for a second straight 12 months. Alabama hasn’t missed the CFP in consecutive seasons since its inaugural 12 months in 2014.
As for different coaches working this weekend, a number of of them have gotten different jobs. Past the coaches Klatt named, James Madison’s Bob Chesney has agreed to develop into UCLA’s subsequent head coach. Tulane’s Jon Summrall will coach Florida subsequent 12 months. North Texas’ Eric Morris is ready to develop into Oklahoma State’s subsequent head coach.
One coach who hasn’t signed an extension and is ready to educate in a convention championship recreation this weekend, although, is Duke’s Manny Diaz. Klatt truly talked about Diaz as a possible candidate to switch Franklin in October, citing his historical past with this system. Diaz labored as Penn State’s defensive coordinator for 2 seasons earlier than turning into Duke’s head coach in 2024.
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