(Ames, IA) — Multiple media outlets are reporting that Penn St. has turned its search for a new football head coach to Iowa St.’s Matt Campbell. The Nittany Lions fired James Franklin back on October 12 but reportedly have been spurned by various candidates. The latest was Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer who denied any interest in Penn St. at a press conference on Thursday. BYU Head Coach Kalani Sitake who signed an extension to remain with the school this week after talking with Penn St. officials. CBS Sports reports that eight different coaches have turned down the Big Ten school.
According to ESPN, Penn St. started conversations with Campbell on Wednesday but it is still early in the process. Campbell may not be the only candidate left — ESPN reports that the university has engaged in talks with at least three other candidates over the last couple of days.
Penn St.’s coaching search is affecting recruiting — signing day came and went this week and the Nittany Lions signed just 2 players after reportedly losing multiple commits. Franklin, meanwhile, has gotten many players to flip to Virginia Tech and will sign one the top recruiting classes in the country. Penn St. will need to get a coach in place before the transfer portal opens on January 2.
Campbell, meanwhile, is the winningest coach in Iowa St. history, going 72-55 overall in 10 seasons and 8-4 this season. The 3 time Big 12 Coach of the Year has had 8 winning seasons with the Cyclones, appeared in two Big 12 championship games and won the 2020 Fiesta Bowl giving ISU its first ever Top 10 finish. Prior to coming to Ames, Campbell coached 5 seasons at Toledo and went 35-15. Campbell is from Masillon, Ohio just south of Akron — he attended the University of Pittsburgh for one year before transferring to the University of Mount Union in Ohio.
