On3's Andy Staples & Pete Nakos break down Penn State head coach target Matt Campbell

Penn State appears to be closing in on its next head football coach.

On Friday afternoon, sources confirmed with both Blue White Illustrated and On3 that Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell is close to finalizing a contract to take over the Nittany Lions. A native of
Massillon, Ohio, Campbell has 14 years of head coaching experience, spending four years at Toledo before taking over the Cycolnes in 2016.

Over that span, he’s put together a 107-70 record, including eight winning seasons out of 10 at Iowa State. Prior to him taking over, the Cyclones had just one winning season in 10 years. After going 3-9 his first season in Ames, Campbell led them to five straight bowl games, including a win in the Fiesta Bowl in 2020 over Oregon.

Campbell’s hiring hasn’t been made official yet. Still, it’s been widely praised by national media members following a Penn State coaching search that’s lasted 54 days and has seen multiple coaches turn down the opportunity.

FAQ: Things to know about Penn State pursuing Iowa State HC Matt Campbell

“Iowa State is one of the hardest places to win in college football,” said On3’s Andy Staples. “Paul Rhodes had some good years there, but you could never consistently win there. Just being able to go to a bowl game used to be a big deal at Iowa State. Now, that’s an every year thing for them.”

Campbell is a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year. The 46-year-old played at Division III Mount Union in college, which has produced a handful of respected coaches, including Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Toledo head coach Jason Candle. Former NFL head coach Dom Capers also attended Mount Union.

Over his tenure, he’s helped produce a handful of quality NFL players, including defensive end Will McDonald, who was a 2023 first-round draft pick. Quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Breece Hall are two other notable players whom Campbell helped develop.