After a protracted search for a coach, Matt Campbell has emerged as Penn State’s new target. Over the past few weeks, Penn State’s coaching search has taken so many unexpected turns that it is beginning to feel like an endless offseason drama. The Nittany Lions have had difficulty hiring the kind of well-known head coach that State College supporters anticipated would seize the chance since James Franklin was fired on October 12. Over 50 days have gone by, and the pressure has only increased with each report of a botched negotiation or unsuccessful pursuit. However, a new name has emerged and is already causing a stir in the Midwest.
According to reports, Penn State has made Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell their top target. This is the Nittany Lions’ most significant attempt to end their coaching search to date. Campbell, who has spent the last ten years turning Iowa State from a faltering program into a reliable Big 12 contender, is highly regarded for his capacity to create a culture, nurture underutilized players, and get the most out of his rosters. Furthermore, it seems that Penn State thinks he might be the stable, culture-driven leader who can return the program to national prominence.
The Nittany Lions, who started the 2025–26 season ranked No. 2 in the nation, would be ending a frustrating and unusually turbulent hiring stretch if they are successful in luring Campbell away from Ames. State College’s resources have never been a problem. Penn State can compete with anyone thanks to its strong NIL support, world-class facilities, fervent fan base, and national brand. Traction is what they haven’t had in the last few weeks.
Campbell, however, changes the equation.
He has amassed a 72–55 record over his ten seasons with the Cyclones, which is noteworthy for a program that had seldom experienced steady success prior to his arrival. Along the way, he led Iowa State to two trips to the Big 12 Championship Game in 2020 and 2024 and won three Big 12 Coach of the Year honors. He won with rosters mostly composed of three- and four-star prospects in Ames, earning a reputation for accomplishing more with less. His strategy is similar to the one that Pat Fitzgerald, the recently hired head coach of Michigan State, used to turn Northwestern into a reliable conference threat.
Talent development used to be a rare coaching superpower. It’s more complicated in the world of college football today, where players can move freely through the transfer portal and NIL has altered expectations for athletes worldwide. However, one of Campbell’s most valuable qualities is his reputation for developing a strong internal culture that players fully embrace. That culture-first approach may be more important than any schematic detail or recruiting pitch for a Penn State program looking to future-proof itself.
The football scene in Iowa would drastically change overnight if Campbell were to leave Iowa State. For ten years, he has been the cornerstone of the Cyclones program, helping to steer it through some of its most trying times. Iowa State would undoubtedly be weakened in the near future if he were to leave, and possibly for much longer, depending on his replacement.
The decision would cause conflicting feelings in Iowa supporters who were observing from the sidelines. On the one hand, it would deprive the in-state competitor of its most valuable resource. On the other hand, the Big Ten, a conference already full of well-known figures like Fitzgerald, Ryan Day, Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning, Curt Cignetti, and the illustrious Kirk Ferentz, would gain another powerful coach.
However, the whole situation is still in flux. Penn State has made mistakes in the past, most notably when they tried to entice BYU head coach Kalani Sitake to State College. That endeavor swiftly fell apart, serving as a reminder that in the unstable coaching landscape of today, nothing is certain. Agents are more adept than ever at using leverage, and negotiations can break down at any time.
However, the Nittany Lions might finally be close to signing their man if the current rumors are accurate. Campbell is more than just another contender; he might be the new beginning Penn State has been longing for. Additionally, if he decides to move to Happy Valley, it will have an impact not only on State College but also on Ames, Iowa City, and the entire Big Ten conference. The wait is still ongoing. But for the first time in a long time, it seems like Matt Campbell is at the center of Penn State’s protracted, convoluted search, which may be nearing its last chapters.
