Penn State to Keep Ex-Interim Coach Terry Smith on Staff Under Matt Campbell

The former Nittany Lion led the team after James Franklin’s firing.

Terry Smith went 3-3 after James Franklin's dismissal. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

In his six-game stint leading Penn State this year, Nittany Lions coach Terry Smith generated enough loyalty from players for them to call for his permanent hire.

That’s not going to happen in 2026, but Penn State is reportedly keeping Smith around. Smith will remain on staff under new coach Matt Campbell on a four-year contract, according to a Friday evening report from Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Smith, 56, played four years as a wide receiver for the Nittany Lions from 1988 to ’91. Turning to coaching, he became Penn State’s cornerbacks coach before the 2014 season and has worked in State College, Pa., ever since.

When the Nittany Lions dismissed coach James Franklin on Oct. 12—just nine months after Penn State came within an eyelash of playing for the national title—they elevated Smith to the position of interim coach. He led the team to wins over Michigan State, Nebraska and Rutgers to end the season.

Campbell and Smith will begin a new era of Nittany Lions football on Sept. 5, when Penn State is scheduled to open 2026 against Marshall.

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