Matt Campbell named 17th Penn State head football coach

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft has named Matt Campbell as the 17th head coach in the storied history of Penn State Football, following approval from the Board of Trustees’ Equity and Human Resources Committee Monday morning. Campbell will officially be introduced at a press conference at noon on Monday.  

“Matt Campbell embodies the values that define Penn State: integrity, excellence, strength of character and a commitment to student success,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “He is a proven builder of strong cultures, a developer of elite student-athletes, and an inspiring presence both on and off the field. His dedication to leading young people and his unwavering competitive drive make him the right choice to lead our football program into its next chapter. We are proud to welcome Coach Campbell into the Penn State family and know he will have a lasting impact on our student-athletes and community. I want to thank and congratulate Pat Kraft on bringing this search to a successful conclusion. I know we both look forward to seeing the new heights Coach Campbell can achieve for Penn State Football." 

Campbell joins Penn State after a decade as Iowa State’s head coach, where he leaves the Cyclones as the winningest coach in the program’s history. A three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2017, 2018, 2020), Campbell led ISU to its only two Top 15 AP Poll finishes ever and coached 18 Cyclone All-Americans. In his coaching career, which also includes stops at Toledo, Bowling Green and Mount Union, he has tutored 39 players who went on to play in the NFL. Campbell is the only coach in Iowa State history to post five-straight winning seasons (2017-21) and owns eight of ISU’s nine winning conference seasons in the Big 12 era.  

"From the start of our search, our mission was to find a proven leader who reflects Penn State’s integrity, toughness, and championship expectations,” said Kraft. “We also sought someone who has a demonstrated record of elite player evaluation and development, as well as the ability to retain top talent and assemble a strong staff. We found all that and more in Matt Campbell. For several years, Matt has been one of the most sought-after coaches for a reason, and we are fortunate that he is now our coach. In our discussions, it is clear that Matt understands and appreciates our storied history, our tradition and our high expectations. We are fired up to welcome Matt and his family to Happy Valley!”   

Tied for second-longest tenured active coach in the Big 12 and in program history entering 2025, Campbell led ISU to its first Big 12 regular-season title in 2020 (8-1) and did so again in 2024 (7-2). The Cyclones set the school record for conference wins in 2020 and broke the school record for overall wins in 2024 (11-3). The 2020 season marked the first time in school history ISU ended the conference regular season in sole possession of first place.  

“I am incredibly honored to join Penn State University as its next head football coach,” said Campbell. “This is one of the blue bloods of college football, and this program’s history and tradition are unmatched. I look forward to building on that foundation by developing student-athletes on and off the field, competing for championships and continuing the legacy of excellence that defines Penn State.  

I want to thank President Bendapudi and Pat Kraft for their trust and support throughout this process. I also want to express my deep gratitude to Iowa State University, its football program and the entire Cyclone community for the incredible memories and experiences my family and I have shared there. We will always cherish our time in Ames. My family and I are eager to become part of the Penn State community and get to work with the student-athletes, staff and fans who make this place so special.” 

Campbell owns 45.2% of ISU’s all-time wins over ranked opponents and has 14 victories over ranked foes during his time at Iowa State. His 50 Big 12 wins are the most by a Cyclone head coach versus conference teams and owns 53.32% of ISU’s 93 all-time Big 12 wins. In earning 50 Big 12 wins, Campbell joins Bob Stoops, Bill Snyder, Mike Gundy and Mack Brown as the only coaches to do so in conference history. 

Among active head coaches since 2016, according to Coaches by the Numbers, Campbell is tied for the fourth-best winning percentage against AP Top 5 opponents (.500; 2-2) and the tied for the fifth-best winning percentage against AP Top 10 opponents (.400; 4-6). He has coached nine All-Americans (T-6th) and three first-team All-Americans (T-8th) during that time.  

Offensively since 2016, he ranks third in red zone scoring percentage (87.58%), fifth in completion percentage (63.7%), sixth in passing yards per game (257.3), seventh in passing yards per season (3,272.2) and scoring percentage (39.5%), eighth in QBR (95.7) and 10th in 20+ yard play percentage (7.2%). Defensively, he is third in fewest points allowed in the fourth quarter (4.9), fourth in rushing touchdowns allowed per game (1.0), fifth in rushing touchdowns allowed per season (13.1), sixth in points allowed per second half (10.33) and punt percentage defense (41.8%), and seventh in lowest touchdown percentage defense (22.5%), fewest yards per completion (11.4) and lowest 20+ yard play percentage (5.95%). 

As a player, Campbell was a defensive end at Mount Union (1999-2002), where he was an All-American, College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American and two-time Ohio Athletic Conference Lineman of the Year. During his time with the Purple Raiders, his squad won four conference titles, three NCAA Division III National Championships and went 54-1 in his four-year career. He was inducted into the Mount Union Hall of Fame in 2018 and the CSC Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2022. 

A native of Massillon, Ohio, Campbell graduated from Mount Union in 2002, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. Campbell and his wife, Erica, have four children, Katie, Izzy, Rudy and Rocco. 

Campbell's current compensation sheet is available online.

Head coaching record

Year        School  Record  Postseason  

2011        Toledo    1-0           Military: Beat Air Force, 42-41 

2012        Toledo    9-4           Famous Idaho Potato: Lost to Utah State, 41-15 

2013        Toledo    7-5            

2014        Toledo    9-4           GoDaddy: Beat Arkansas State, 63-44 

2015        Toledo    9-2           Boca Raton: Beat Temple, 32-17 [did not coach bowl game] 

2016        Iowa State              3-9           

2017        Iowa State              8-5           AutoZone Liberty: Beat Memphis, 21-20 

2018        Iowa State              8-5           Valero Alamo: Lost to Washington State, 28-26 

2019        Iowa State              7-6           Camping World: Lost to Notre Dame, 33-9 

2020        Iowa State              9-3           PlayStation Fiesta: Beat Oregon, 34-17 

2021        Iowa State              7-6           Cheez-It: Lost to Clemson, 20-13 

2022        Iowa State              4-8 

2023        Iowa State              7-6           AutoZone Liberty: Lost to Memphis, 36-26 

2024        Iowa State              11-3         Pop-Tarts: Beat Miami, 42-41 

2025        Iowa State              8-4           Bowl Eligible 

Career   107-70   Postseason Record: 6-5 

The Campbell file

Personal 

Year at Penn State: 1st 

Hometown: Massillon, Ohio 

Education: Mount Union, 2002 - B.A. History 

Family: Wife: Erica; Daughters: Katie, Izzy; Sons: Rudy, Rocco  

Coaching Career 

2026-present: Penn State [Head Coach] 

2016-25: Iowa State [Head Coach] 

2012-15: Toledo [Head Coach] 

2010-11: Toledo [Offensive Coordinator] 

2009: Toledo [Run Game Coordinator] 

2007-08: Bowling Green [Assistant Coach] 

2005-06: Mount Union [Offensive Coordinator] 

2003-04: Bowling Green [Graduate Assistant] 

Playing Experience 

1999-2002: Mount Union 

For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2026 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.