Penn State hired former Iowa State Cyclones coach Matt Campbell to become its permanent coach on Friday. After being snubbed by various candidates during the coaching search, Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft was under pressure to deliver the right candidate to succeed James Franklin.
After firing Franklin on Oct. 12, Kraft’s coaching search took 54 days before settling on Campbell. The Nittany Lions were led by interim coach Terry Smith, who clinched bowl eligibility on the last day of the regular season.
Matt Campbell Reveals Feelings on James Franklin & Terry Smith
During his introductory news conference as coach of the Nittany Lions, Campbell was hugely complimentary of Franklin’s tenure at the helm of the program.
“For Coach (James) Franklin and what he built here at Penn State, I have the utmost respect for him,” Campbell said.
He further revealed that Smith’s retention at the program was one of the main topics of discussion when Kraft called to offer him the job.
“Terry was always such an inspiring human to be around,” Campbell said. “It is my honor to work hand-in-hand with Terry to build on this great foundation moving forward.”
According to the “Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,” the university’s Board of Trustees approved Campbell’s eight-year, $70.5 million contract on Monday. Campbell signed a contract extension at Iowa State in August through to 2032, with a $2 million buyout.
Pat Kraft Reveals Dramatic Campbell Hire
During the news conference introducing Campbell as the Nittany Lions coach, Kraft revealed that the dramatic nature of the coaching search which led to the former Iowa State coach taking the job.
“We were focused on finding the right person, and at all costs, and (there will) probably be a Netflix documentary at some point, the way that Matt and I got to each other through some twists and turns in the road,” Kraft said. “I needed a partner that I had trust and belief in to take this role.
“And because it was so important, this department needs a leader for this role in this institution. But we got the guy we want. We really got the guy, and the guy was going to lead us to a national championship and bring us back to it, to the best program in the country.”
In 10 seasons in charge of the Cyclones, Campbell accumulated a 72-55 record, including two Big 12 championship game appearances. He was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year three times during his tenure at the program.
