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Penn State Opens Talks With Iowa State’s Matt Campbell as Coaching Search Narrows

The pivot follows high-profile rebuffs that left recruiting depleted, raising urgency.

Overview

  • Multiple outlets report Penn State initiated contact with Campbell on Wednesday, with early discussions underway that would still require board approval, as some donors lobby for interim Terry Smith.
  • The focus on Campbell follows BYU’s Kalani Sitake choosing to stay put, with other rumored targets such as Louisville’s Jeff Brohm also remaining at their schools.
  • Campbell is Iowa State’s winningest coach, a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, and he followed an 11-3 2024 season with an 8-4 mark this fall.
  • Campbell recently signed an extension through 2032 worth about $5 million annually, signaling a potentially costly move to lure him from Ames.
  • The drawn-out vacancy has damaged Penn State’s recruiting, with only two signees on the first day of the early signing period.