How Terry Smith Is Preparing for His Last Ride as Penn State's Interim Coach

Smith will lead the Nittany Lions against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl. Then he'll join Matt Campbell's staff.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Terry Smith celebrates from the sideline during the third quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The Pinstripe Bowl is Terry Smith’s last game as Penn State’s interim head coach before Matt Campbell fully takes over the program. In October, when Smith accepted the role, it seemed unlikely Penn State would become bowl-eligible. Now he has the chance to finish with a head-coaching record above .500. 

Penn State’s season was unraveling after three straight losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern, and the schedule grew more difficult when Smith took over. Smith said effort would never be a question of a team he coached, and despite three more losses to Iowa, Ohio State and Indiana, the team looked like it had life again.

“One of my messages the entire time I’ve been the interim is, keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s just playing ball and having fun playing ball, and that’s the approach we’re taking toward the bowl,” Smith said in a recent Pinstripe Bowl press conference. 

Penn State finished the regular season with three straight wins, snapping that six-game losing streak, and brought hope after all the chaos. The team proved it could get out of "the storm,” as Smith believed it would. 

“It’s not hard to see the effect that coach Terry has on the team,” Penn State safety King Mack said. “You could see the energy shift, the confidence we played with, the swagger we had.”

Penn State concludes this chapter in program history Saturday, when it faces Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Smith has a chance to finish the season with a winning record as his head-coach stint comes to an end. 

“We’re preparing like any other game,” Smith said, noting how the team practiced well before leaving State College for New York. “It’s an opportunity for us to finish the 2025 season. We have an opportunity to win four games in a row and we’re looking forward to it.”

Though Penn State will deal with opt-outs, Smith never lost the locker room and kept the Nittany Lions fighting through the season.  

“You’re either in or you’re out, and the people that are going to show up in New York for the Pinstripe Bowl, we’re going to be prepared and ready to win the game,” Smith said. 

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney called Smith's coaching performance inspiring.

“I just think he has done an amazing job ... settling them down and finding a way to finish the season, just like we have," Swinney said. "Disappointing start, high expectations, but football is hard, and it doesn’t always go your way. But most of the time, it gets worse when things go bad. But what you have seen at Penn State is the character of their program and the character of their players, because they have continued to battle.”

What's next for Terry Smith

Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith is congratulated by athletic director Pat Kraft following the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Campbell said that he made retaining Smith a priority upon becoming Penn State’s head coach. Smith will remain on Penn State's staff, though his role has not been defined publicly yet. During the 54-day coaching search, players strongly advocated for Smith to become the permanent head coach.  

“Coach Terry deserves it [the role on Matt Campbell’s staff],” Mack said. “He puts so much into Penn State, he has so much love and gratitude for Penn State, so I’m honestly happy for him for getting a contract where he’s comfortable at. And everyone in the locker room, we all talked about it. It’s either two things: either coach Terry gets hired as the head coach, or they pay him to stay here.”

Penn State will provide more clarity regarding Smith’s role after the bowl game, as Campbell continues to finalize his staff. Smith coached cornerbacks for the past 12 seasons at Penn State, in addition to serving as associate head coach since 2021. Campbell has hired a secondary coach in Deon Broomfield, who was on his staff at Iowa State.

“I could coach offensive line, wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, quarterbacks, [defensive] line and linebackers, safety, corners, special teams, kickers, snappers,” Smith said with a smile during the Pinstripe Bowl press conference.  

The Lasch Football Building had a lot going on during the past few weeks while Smith sought to maintain a schedule for bowl preparation. Coaches are conducting meetings as the “old” and “new” staff are coexisting. 

“We have new staff members, current staff members that will stay, current staff members that will go, same with the players,” Smith said. “So we’re operating in just an unorthodox area, but it’s my job to bring it all together.”

The change isn’t over for Penn State. The offseason will have more movement with the transfer portal opening Jan. 2 and more players making decisions about their futures. But for now, Smith will lead the Nittany Lions onto the field.

“I can tell you, Coach Terry still being part of the staff is probably one of the reasons why the energy in the locker room hasn’t changed [for the Pinstripe Bowl],” Mack said. “Coach Terry has done a great job making sure we keep our focus on that one thing, and it’s Clemson.”

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Terry Smith reacts after running back Nicholas Singleton (10) scored a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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