Penn State's coaching search has turned its focus to Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, one of the most coveted candidates in recent cycles. (Syndication: The Ames Tribune)
While it appears to be a a national embarrassment it would be probably premature to call Penn State’s coaching search an unmitigated disaster because the story hasn’t even begun to be written yet.
It’s hard to label something without knowing what or who it is. While it’s true, the search has not gone the way the school or the fan base expected to this point, greater redemption stories have been told.
Ending the Chaos: Matt Campbell Momentum Builds After Weeks of Missed Targets
It is true that big names have come and gone, any perceived momentum has stalled, and the clean early vision for the next era has turned into something far more chaotic. At this point in the process, the question is simple.
Who is left that is both realistic and good enough to take the job?
One name that still makes real sense to Athletic Senior College Sports Writer Ralph Russo is Iowa State’s head coach Matt Campbell.
“I’ll refrain from calling this a disaster until I see the outcome,” Russo posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) “But Matt Campbell seems like a damn good fit at Penn State…Really good coach.”
Emerging Momentum
Apparently Russo’s opinion is gaining momentum with the Penn State brass because on Thursday evening, Tyler Donohue of Lions247 posted two updates tied to ongoing conversations around the search:
Tyler Donohue (@TDsTake)
“Recent hours revealed increased confidence from a variety of conversations at Penn State, Iowa State and nationally, that momentum is building between PSU and Matt Campbell.
Anticipated roster resources are an enticing piece.
Campbell long considered a ‘do-more-with-less’ coach.”
He followed today with:
Tyler Donohue (@TDsTake)
“A significant reset to the @Lions247 Penn State Coach Search Hot Board was required this week after several candidates announced plans to stay with their current schools…”
The Perfect Fit: Culture Aligning with “Success with Honor”
Russo went on to lay out why Campbell’s profile lines up with what Penn State values.
“A former D-III player at Mount Union, he talks a lot about building five-star culture and seems a good fit for a school that still believes in the ‘Success with Honor’ blueprint Joe Paterno first established,” Russo explained in his piece. “His 72-55 overall record includes a 50-40 mark in the Big 12 — for a 128-year-old program that is still more than 100 games under .500 overall.”
Under Campbell, Iowa State has produced five winning seasons, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, something that has been exceedingly rare for the program across modern history
Those seasons also came with real signature wins over traditional powers, including No. 3 Oklahoma twice, four times over Texas, a win over No. 8 Oklahoma State and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oregon.
The Money Talks
At least in Ames, the money his employer has thrown at him tells the world what the administration thinks of Campbell.
Before this season, the Cyclones handed Campbell an eight-year contract that runs through 2032 at $5 million per year before incentives. The total value is $40 million. That is serious money for a Big 12 job that is not one of the traditional giants.
You do not commit $40 million to a coach unless you believe he is the reason your program has climbed out of its historical lane.
The deal is proof that Iowa State sees him as a high-end program builder, not just another name in the carousel.
For Penn State, that contract could cut two ways.
It makes him expensive to pry loose, but it also validates that he is not a reach.
Campbell is already being paid and treated as one of the more important coaches in college football, but given how this search has played out, the question is not whether Penn State can land a perfect candidate; the question is whether there is a realistic candidate who can walk in with a proven plan to run a major program in a power conference.
There are other questions to be answered as well.
Would Campbell leave a $40 million deal? Would he want to jump into the Big Ten East pressure cooker? How would his style translate with higher expectations and a different recruiting map?
Those are the fair debates to have.
But in a search that has narrowed the field and burned through other options, Matt Campbell stands out as a candidate whose record, contract, and public profile all appear to say the same thing and the decision makers in Happy Valley appear to be listening.
It was at PRISM where Staszak produced live games and began his career as an on-air reporter.
After a couple of brief stints with CBS-3, WB-17 and WGAL-8 in Lancaster, PA, Staszak began a 12 year stretch at FOX 29 where he became the lead sportscaster in 2007. It was there that Staszak found himself in the middle of Philadelphia Phillies World Series Championship coverage that earned him an Emmy nomination for best sports reporter in 2008.It was one of five Emmy nominations that Staszak earned over the course of his career.
All told Staszak covered three World Series, two Stanley Cup Finals, an NBA Finals and one Super Bowl during his television run.
Staszak left the TV business for 97.5 The Fanatic in 2013, where he enjoyed eight years bloviating his beliefs on how a professional football team should be run.In 2018 when he fortunate enough to be the first sports talk host in the city, along with cohort Zach Gelb, to provide post-game coverage of the first Super Bowl Championship for the city’s beloved Philadelphia Eagles.
Staszak was also a writer for 97.5 The Fanatic along with 4 Philly Sports and now covers Penn State athletics for NittanyCentral.com.
- ‘Matt Campbell’s ‘Five-Star Culture’ Aligns Perfectly with Penn States ‘Success with Honor’ - December 4, 2025
- 51 Days, ZERO Coach: Penn State Coaching Search Collapses on Early Signing Day - December 3, 2025
- Penn State Blasts Nebraska Behind Kaytron Allen’s Record Night: Game Balls to the Stars Who Finally Showed Up - November 23, 2025
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