As the 2025 season comes to a close, many Penn State Nittany Lions fans will try to bury the horrendous regular season that occurred in State College.

From head coach James Franklin being fired during the middle of the season to drama surrounding the next head coach, it’s fair to say that the struggling program must hit the reset button heading into the new year. And with newly-hired head coach Matt Campbell taking over, brighter days are on the horizon for the Nittany Lions.

Here are three “New Year Resolutions” for Penn State heading into 2026.

With the Nittany Lions facing a mass exodus of recruits and former players this offseason, it’s clear that Campbell and the rest of the coaching staff must make moves in the transfer portal.

As of Wednesday, Penn State is set to lose 10 players to the transfer portal, including star EDGE rusher Chaz Coleman. This does not account for the other players that could also be on their way out of the program, such as tight end Luke Reynolds.

In order to truly find success next season, Campbell must continue to make waves in the transfer portal this offseason. Luckily for the newly hired head coach, his move from Iowa State to Penn State brought eight 2026 recruits to State College. Now, the coaching staff must crush the transfer portal to solidify the squad for next season.

After former star quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending injury against the Northwestern Wildcats, backup Ethan Grunkemeyer was forced into a starting role for the rest of the 2025 season. The former four-star recruit managed to find success later in the season, and ultimately ended the year with 1,339 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions.

While Grunkemeyer showed plenty of promise throughout the year, his status for the 2026 college football season is in question with Campbell at the helm. At Iowa State, quarterback Rocco Becht became a staple of the Cyclones’ offense over the past two seasons, and with the recent news of Becht entering the transfer portal, there’s a legitimate chance that he could follow his former head coach.

If the Nittany Lions manage to retain Grunkemeyer for next season, his growth through his last seven starts would make him a prime breakout player in 2026.

There is one way that Campbell can win the hearts of Penn State fans in 2026: win a big game.

Obviously, there has been a massive amount of turnover with the program, which makes it tough for the new coach to have an immediate impact next year. However, one of the main reasons Franklin was fired was due to his inability to win the big game. This means that an early “signature win” for Campbell would help to gain the support and trust of the entire fanbase.

Looking at next year’s schedule, the Nittany Lions are set to take on the Michigan Wolverines on the road. If the new coaching staff can win this tough matchup, the sky will be the limit for Campbell.