Six weeks into his tenure as Penn State’s head football coach, Matt Campbell is already putting his stamp on the program - and it’s not just a fresh coat of paint. The roster is undergoing a serious transformation, with more than 50 new players either on campus or en route. That includes a mix of incoming freshmen and a handful of familiar faces from Campbell’s Iowa State days, players who know his system and can help set the tone in the locker room.
But the changes aren’t limited to the roster. Campbell’s influence is all over the staff, too.
Only a few holdovers from the 2025 season remain, and every offensive position coach now has ties to Campbell’s time in Ames. That kind of continuity on the coaching side can be a game-changer, especially for a team looking to hit the ground running under new leadership.
These are coaches who know Campbell’s expectations, his offensive philosophy, and how to develop players within his system - and that familiarity could pay dividends as the Nittany Lions aim to establish a new identity.
When Campbell was introduced on December 8, Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi made it clear that this hire was about more than just wins and losses. “Character, culture, community, excellence,” she said - four pillars that Campbell himself emphasized during the hiring process. According to Bendapudi, those values were a big part of what made him the right fit for Happy Valley.
And Campbell’s résumé backs it up. In 10 seasons at Iowa State, he delivered eight winning campaigns - no small feat at a program that had long struggled for consistency.
His 2024 squad notched 11 wins, the high-water mark of his tenure, and finished the season ranked No. 15 in the country. Under Campbell, the Cyclones reached two Big 12 championship games since 2020, a stretch of success that redefined expectations in Ames.
Now, he’s tasked with doing something similar in State College - not rebuilding, but reenergizing. Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft didn’t mince words during Campbell’s introduction.
“Penn State football today emerges tougher, clearer and more driven than ever before,” he said. “We turn a page to a new era.”
Kraft called out the passion of the fan base and emphasized that they deserve a team that plays with fire and purpose. In his view, Campbell is the guy to deliver that - a coach who can unite the community, fire up the locker room, and bring back a championship mindset.
There’s still plenty to learn about how Campbell will shape this next chapter. Upcoming media sessions and spring practices will provide a clearer picture of how he plans to deploy his system, manage the quarterback room, and retool both sides of the ball. But one thing is already obvious: this isn’t just a coaching change - it’s a full-scale reset.
To get a deeper look at what Penn State fans can expect, we spoke with Alec Busse, who covered Campbell extensively at Iowa State. His insights offer a window into the kind of program-builder Penn State is getting - one who emphasizes culture as much as scheme, and who has a proven track record of elevating a team’s ceiling.
For now, the Campbell era is officially underway in Happy Valley. And with the roster turnover, staff overhaul, and a clear vision from the top, it’s safe to say the Nittany Lions are all-in on a new direction.