The search is finally over for Penn State; they've finally hired a head coach, according to reports that they signed Matt Campbell from Iowa State. After firing James Franklin on October 12th, Penn State went through a wild search with multiple candidates being mentioned and interviewed. Several big-name coaches got extensions for being linked to the Penn State job. They landed on Campbell, who has been an excellent coach at Toledo and Iowa State. Campbell was a good choice for Penn State.
Sources: Penn State is finalizing an 8-year deal to make Matt Campbell the school’s next head coach. The deal is pending board approval for the compensation. Campbell has agreed to be Penn State’s coach and the sides have hammered out terms. https://t.co/ArKKDxldkw
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 6, 2025
Campbell’s fit at Penn State
Campbell fits Penn State very well. He is a successful head coach who went 72-55 at Iowa State. He is the winningest coach in Iowa State History. I like the fit because he is an excellent coach who knows how to build a strong culture. At Iowa State, he built a strong program around under-recruited players.
An example of this was former quarterback Brock Purdy. He was a 3-star quarterback who came to Iowa State and developed into an excellent College Quarterback. He was drafted as the last pick in the NFL draft, and he has become one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. Campbell has demonstrated a remarkable ability to discover and develop hidden gems.
Campbell Recruiting Ability
This is probably the biggest question for Campbell at Penn State. At Penn State, you can sign under-recruited players, but you can also get some of the best players in the country. Franklin had a top 15 class at Penn State this year before he was fired. Last season, Franklin signed the 15th class in the country. Penn State has a chance to sign top 15 classes every single season. This is something Campbell will need to accomplish.
Downsides to the Campbell hire
You never know how a coach will respond when they end up at a bigger program. Can Campbell maintain the success he had at Iowa State at Penn State? I would probably say yes, but you never know. Campbell will also have to jump up and win more games compared to what he did at Iowa State. Franklin was fired after he was one play away from making the National Title game. Then this year, he was fired after a 3-3 start. Campbell will have to accept higher expectations, but he should be up for the task.
Campbell hiring grade: A
This is a slam dunk hire for Penn State. He has been a head coach for 16 years at Toledo and Iowa State. He knows how to build a program and a culture as a football coach. Penn State landed a program builder and an excellent coach.