Penn State head coach Matt Campbell has somehow found a way to avoid all social media, even in today's era.
It is almost impossible not to accidentally stumble across some form of social media. TikTok rules the world, X is pretty much a modern-day newspaper, and every single person is encouraged in some way, shape, or form to scroll.
Everyone except for the newest Nittany Lions head coach, Matt Campbell. Campbell has built his brand and his resume completely without social media.
Now, the truth is that most coaches have found ways to avoid any of the media conversation, but Campbell does it better than most.
When asked how he does it, Campbell gave a really thoughtful answer that was summed up in one tight sentence: "If I'm not going to ask my players to be validated by outside noise, both good and negative, then how can I live that life?"
It is yet another example of Campbell's character shining through, and it is on par with everything that he has said to this point in his Penn State tenure.
He is as fair as it comes. If he wouldn't ask his players to do whatever, then what does it make him to do that thing or make that type of noise?
Without going on a total social media tangent, it truly has become part of the job description to be a head coach.
As the years go by, the recruits that are coming out of high school are very fluent in the internet and have likely been plugged in from a very young age. Not only do they know how to use all of the platforms for entertainment, but for nearly every guy on a football team, it is absolutely a personal revenue generator.
The money that these players and coaches have available to them from social media is pretty ridiculous, but it is the state of the current world. For Campbell, he doesn't care what anyone on the outside thinks of him and the job he is doing. Those conversations are not for him; they are for everyone else.
The only conversations that he has are the ones with his players and coaches. It's all that matters, and it's the only way to build a winning football team.
Campbell has his work cut out for him in Happy Valley as he tries to turn that storied program back into a perennial winner like they were under Joe Paterno many years back. Year after year, Penn State was a National title contender. It is up to Campbell to get all of his new players onto the same page and ready for a great season.
