ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit gushed over Matt Campbell and the Nittany Lions head coach and the opportunity Penn State has as a dark horse.
ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit was on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, and he couldn't say enough positive things about the Penn State Nittany Lions.
On the board were the top 16 teams in terms of odds presented by DraftKings, and in the 16th and final position are the Nittany Lions at +6000. However, Herbstreit spent a few moments on the Nittany Lions, specifically because of the new head coach, Matt Campbell.
He was talking about a potential team that reminds him of the Indiana team of the past two years that went from down and out to contending. He believes that the team that has the best opportunity to do that is the Nittany Lions.
Those are very strong words regarding the team that Penn State has coming into the year. Not only do they have several solid, veteran players, but they have a schedule that will allow them the time to mesh into a team.
It may not look pretty early, but they have three very winnable games to start the year before a manageable start to their Big Ten schedule. It certainly will not be easy, but a quick turnaround will be achievable, thanks in large part to the coach.
Herbstreit didn't stop with the compliments to the team. He continued on about Campbell, saying, "I'm just a massive fan of Matt Campbell. I think that got lost in all of the hysteria that went on at the end of last season that Penn State made an incredible hire... He is an old-school guy. Growing up in Northeast, Ohio. Played at John Carroll."
Being a John Carroll Blue Streak myself, I had to keep that part in, even though it was an honest mistake by Herbstreit. Of course, Campbell went to John Carroll's rival, the Mount Union Purple Raiders, where he was a dominant force in Division III football, leading the Purple Raiders to three National Championships in his time.
However, the fact remains. He is an old-school guy who cut his teeth in the school of hard knocks, turning around MAC powerhouse Toledo before making Iowa State a winner.
Campbell has the opportunity this year to do what he does best: turn around historic programs and make them winners. He has done it in the past and has the chance to do it again this season.
