Penn State HC Matt Campbell Sends Message About 'Culture'

There was only so much new head coach Matt Campbell could do to set up Penn State for success this fall after being hired late in the coaching carousel last season.

Former PSU head coach James Franklin was able to convince a lot of recruits to join Virginia Tech. Campbell responded by filling immediate holes with 24 transfers from Iowa State. 

Those former Big 12 players understood the type of culture Campbell wants for his new program. When speaking to reporters over the weekend, Campbell said his goal was to win as much as possible this season and lay the foundation for his program.

“I think everything that the program is about is, yes, we're trying to win on Saturdays,” Campbell said, via USA Today. “We're equally trying to win in life, but the reality becomes, this is a competitive sport and we are doing everything in our power to win and be the best team we possibly can be each and every Saturday.

“I think even how we constructed the roster has that mindset. We're going to be the best team we can be in 2026. How do we be our best right now? How we live inside of our walls, build the right culture inside of our walls, that's going to build the foundation of our football program moving forward. I think that's the balance.”

The expectations for Campbell won't be as high as they were for Franklin last season, when PSU was ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll. The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 18 to start the year. 

Penn State has a favorable schedule for Campbell to win games this fall. The Nittany Lions only play three games against ranked teams: No. 14 USC, No. 16 Michigan, and No. 17 Washington.

Going 8-4 or 9-3 this season would set up Campbell for some confidence that the Nittany Lions can be a CFP competitor again with more resources at his disposal for the 2027 campaign.

Campbell built a strong culture at Iowa State. There's every reason to believe he can do it at Penn State.