Penn State’s coaching search dragged on for about eight weeks after the school fired James Franklin following the loss to Northwestern in Week 7 of the 2025 season, and plenty of the names the Nittany Lions might have chased disappeared quickly as other programs locked up their own coaches. Matt Rhule stayed at Nebraska.
Curt Cignetti remained at Indiana. Kalani Sitake signed on at BYU.
Kirk Herbstreit thinks Penn State ended up in the right place anyway.
"I'm just a massive fan of Matt Campbell," Herbstreit said on the Pat McAfee Show. "I think that kind of got lost in all the hysteria of what went on at the end of last season - that Penn State made an incredible hire."
"I'm a MASSIVE fan of Matt Campbell..
This was an incredible hire by Penn State and I'm excited to see what this team can do" @KirkHerbstreit #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/aOkzqQ3kO5
- Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 4, 2026
Herbstreit called Campbell "an incredible hire" for the Nittany Lions, and he clearly believes Penn State’s patience paid off. Campbell wasn’t the splashiest name tied to the opening, but Herbstreit’s view is that the job doesn’t need a headline-grabber so much as the right fit - someone capable of meeting the standard Penn State is chasing.
That’s why Herbstreit even pointed to the Indiana model, saying Penn State could be the team with a real shot at a title run in 2026.
It’s a big statement, especially for a first year that could come with plenty of outside noise if the early results don’t match the hype. Still, Herbstreit is leaning into what he sees as a strong roster and a coach who fits the moment. The returning experience matters here, and Campbell is stepping into a situation that already has familiar, proven players in place rather than a full rebuild.
Like Cignetti did when he brought over former James Madison players, Campbell isn’t walking into a blank slate. He’s inheriting a group with college football experience that now has to translate that foundation to a higher level.
For Herbstreit, that’s enough to believe Penn State made the right call. The hire may have felt underwhelming at the time, but if he’s right, the wait was exactly what the Nittany Lions needed.
In Other News...
Penn State Opens Camp With One Big Offensive Stability Test
Penn State opened preseason camp under new head coach Matt Campbell with a roster that already looks very different from the one he inherited. Campbell arrived in December after 10 seasons at Iowa State, and the first days of practice have been as much about sorting out depth as installing the next phase of the program. With 40 transfers in the mix, there is no shortage of bodies to sort through, and the staff is taking a close look at key spots all over the field.
The most immediate question is whether the offense can find some stability behind the scenes, especially with a backup running back battle unfolding and young tackles and wide receivers being asked to grow up quickly. Quarterback Rocco Becht is participating in practice, and redshirt freshman Alex Manske is also back on the field, giving the staff more options as it tries to build a workable two-deep. For a team still taking shape under a new coach, those early camp reps may end up mattering just as much as the headline names. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Has A Comeback Story That Could Lift Its Tight Ends
Andrew Rappleyeas path has already given Penn State an encouraging subplot at tight end, and it comes at a position the Nittany Lions could use as a steadying force. After emerging as a real factor in the passing game late in 2023, when he found the end zone multiple times, Rappleyeas momentum was interrupted by a season-ending injury in the 2024 opener. Still, his return to the rotation in 2025 showed why the staff had reason to be patient with a redshirt junior whose role had been trending up.
Rappleyea is now part of a deeper, more interesting picture heading into 2026, with Luke Reynolds and Khalil Dinkins already in the mix and Iowa State transfers Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle joining the competition. The result is a position battle that could push Penn State toward a stronger all-around tight end room, and Rappleyeas comeback gives that storyline a built-in edge. If he can keep building on what he showed before the injury, the Lions may have one more productive option in an offense that has room for it. [Read more 🡒]