After a long search following the decision to fire James Franklin, the Penn State Nittany Lions have finally found their new head coach in the former of former Iowa State lead man Matt Campbell.
Campbell was a big-time hire for a Penn State program that appeared to be headed towards a depressing experience in the coaching carousel. He’s a major get for the Nittany Lions and is a well-respect coach around the nation.
Following the decision to hire Campbell, questions began to swirl about the future of Terry Smith, who finished out the season as Penn State’s interim head coach.
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Now, a final answer has been given on Smith’s status with the school moving forward.
According to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Smith will be sticking around with the Nittany Lions on Campbell’s staff. Smith was the team’s cornerbacks coach and associate head coach prior to Franklin’s firing.
“Sources: Penn State will retain interim HC Terry Smith on Matt Campbell’s staff,” Schultz wrote on X. “Smith entertained interest from both UConn and Memphis, but his deep-rooted connection to Happy Valley and the Nittany Lion program informed his decision to stay.”
Over the last week, Smith’s name had jumped to the top of potential candidates to be the Penn State head coach. He didn’t ultimately get that job, but keeping him around was a great move for the Nittany Lions.
Throughout the coaching search, multiple players had made it clear that they wanted Smith to remain with the team. Many wanted him to be the school’s choice for head coach. That may not have happened, but retaining him on the staff will help team culture in a big way.
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As for Campbell, he put together a solid 72-55 record during his time at Iowa State from 2016 through 2025. Before that, he was the head coach at Toledo and led that program to a 35-15 record.
Penn State has to be thrilled with how things ended up shaking out. Campbell is a great hire and keeping Smith is icing on top of the take. The Nittany Lions are in a great place heading into the future.
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