The Penn State Nittany Lions are heading into the 2026 season with more than just a new head coach - they’re stepping into a full-scale cultural reset. And if you ask safety King Mack, it’s not a moment too soon.
As the team prepares for the Dec. 27 Pinstripe Bowl clash with Clemson at Yankee Stadium, Mack didn’t hold back when talking about what went wrong this past season - and what needs to change. Speaking with reporters this week, he pointed to a fractured locker room, a lack of buy-in, and leadership gaps that contributed to a disappointing 6-6 finish and ultimately cost James Franklin his job.
“Coach Matt Campbell plans on changing the culture,” Mack said. “He sees where we went wrong this year, and his job is to get it fixed as soon as possible and to use all the seniors as one big group to fix all those issues.”
That message came through during a one-on-one meeting with Campbell - part of a series the new head coach is having with every player on the roster. It’s clear Campbell is trying to get a pulse on the team, and Mack’s comments suggest there’s a lot to diagnose.
Mack didn’t sugarcoat it. He said the team lacked leadership, and more critically, unity.
“There’s more inside that goes on in a football team that outsiders don’t see as much,” Mack explained. “Some lack of people buying in doesn’t seem like a big issue, but it is - not having 100 people locked in.”
That disconnect was laid bare in one of the more controversial moments of the season - the leak of a 35-minute audio recording from a closed-door meeting between athletic director Pat Kraft and a group of team leaders ahead of the Rutgers game. The group had gathered to advocate for interim coach Terry Smith, but the recording included some candid - and at times profane - remarks from Kraft about other Big Ten programs.
Mack was in the room and said he was “shocked” when his parents called to tell him about the leak.
“100 percent - that should have never been broadcasted,” he said. “The fact that someone in that room would jeopardize everyone … That’s part of the selfishness and lack of leadership around the team that we have to fix.”
Despite the turmoil, Mack has been encouraged by his early impressions of Campbell and new safeties coach Deon Broomfield. While he hasn’t made a final decision about his future - players can enter the transfer portal starting Jan. 2 - Mack said he’s focused on the bowl game and leaning on faith and family as he weighs his next steps.
“I’ll talk to God, my parents and my family,” he said. “But just off the conversations I’ve had with Coach Campbell and Coach Broom, I can see the culture they had at Iowa State.
Everybody loved each other. And everyone got coached - and they did it with only half the talent we have here.
If they were successful, there’s no reason we can’t be with the talent we have. I’m honestly excited.”
Mack finished fourth on the team with 56 tackles this season, and his voice carries weight in a locker room that’s clearly in transition. But he’s not alone in facing a big decision.
Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who stepped in after Drew Allar’s season-ending injury, is also evaluating his future. Like Mack, he hasn’t committed to returning, but he’s taking a thoughtful approach. Grunkemeyer was recruited by Campbell during his time at Iowa State and even attended a camp there, which adds another layer to his decision-making process.
“I’m trying to figure out what’s best for my future,” he said. “I’m excited to spend Christmas with the guys in New York City and play in such a historic stadium.”
Campbell, for his part, isn’t mincing words. He’s made it clear that players need to be all-in - or they’re free to move on.
“We had a team meeting,” Mack said. “(He was) very clear. (He said) Like, if you don’t want to be here, the door is open.”
It’s a new era in Happy Valley. The Pinstripe Bowl may be the final chapter of a turbulent season, but it’s also the first glimpse of what’s next. And if Mack’s words are any indication, change isn’t just coming - it’s already underway.