Penn State is hoping that its current head coach can build something special in Happy Valley after a rough final season under James Franklin. The new hire is getting a lot of recognition, and it’s all for good reason.
According to Stewart Mandel of The Athletic, Matt Campbell is already being recognized as one of the most respected leaders in the game.
In a recent ranking of the top 25 program leaders across college football, Mandel named Campbell at No. 11 overall.
The list focused on coaches who have shown the ability to build sustainable success, develop players, and maintain a strong culture within their programs, areas in which Campbell will have to continue to do at Penn State.
Campbell became an elite head coach during his tenure at Iowa State, where he took over a program that historically struggled to compete consistently in the Big 12.
Campbell transformed the team into a legitimate contender while producing some of the most successful seasons the program has ever experienced.
His work at Iowa State has earned him respect throughout college football. Turning around a program like Iowa State around should make Penn State fans happy, as the Cyclones don’t have half of what the Nittany Lions do.
Mandel highlighted just how impressive Campbell’s work was during his time in Ames, noting that his accomplishments stand out even more when placed in historical context.
“Michigan wasn’t the only Big Ten program that backed into an excellent hire,” Feldman wrote, per On3. “Campbell worked wonders at Iowa State for a decade. It was one of the most underrated great jobs by any football coach over the past half-century. Consider this: Since the end of World War II, Iowa State has had only 15 seasons with a winning record in conference play. Campbell produced eight of them — and did that in the past nine years. ISU has had only two top-15 finishes, both under him. He’s a terrific evaluator and has done a masterful job of developing talent and fostering a winning culture at a place that had little margin for error.”
That track record is a big reason why expectations are high for Campbell’s first season at Penn State.