Matt Campbell Details the Coaching Philosophy He Would Bring to Penn State

In an interview with college football analyst Josh Pate, the Iowa State coach dissussed he core values and why he likes to establish build roots.

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell raises his hand during a game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at AT&T Stadium. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Penn State has reportedly made Iowa State’s Matt Campbell its lead target as head football coach. On day 54 of the search, Penn State seems to have zeroed in on its replacement for James Franklin.

Campbell has been the Iowa State head coach since 2016 and completely turned the program around. Prior to Campbell, the Cyclones had five winning seasons since 1989. 

What can Penn State expect from Campbell regarding his coaching philosophy and style? In March of 2024, Campbell joined college football analyst Josh Pate on his Pate State Speaker Series, which offers good insight into what he could bring to Penn State. 

RELATED: Did Penn State overvalue its brand during the coaching search?

Desire to build roots 

Iowa State Cyclones football head coach Matt Campbell reacts during the fourth quarter against BYU. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This isn’t the first time Campbell has been in conversations about other jobs. He has been a popular candidate for years but never made a move. In the interview with Pate, Campbell said establishing roots to build a program is what interests him. Before Iowa State, Campbell became a head coach at Toledo at age 32. He spent four years there.

“Leaving the University of Toledo was really hard,” Campbell told Pate. “[I’m] from Ohio and my wife and I had never left Ohio at that time. Three kids, a fourth on the way, we had family that were anchors to us and it was really hard to leave. That was the first time I said, ‘Geez, I don’t know if this is what I want to do.’”

Iowa State gave Campbell the ability to “build something different,” and over the past 10 years he hasn’t gotten away from what’s most important to him.

“As we’ve had our successes and some of that outside noise has come in, even personally for me, I’ve always gone back to the checklist of, No. 1, I want to be a great father, I want to be a great husband,” Campbell said. “I never wanted to let the profession ruin what’s most important for me.”

His family-oriented focus aligns with Penn State’s tight-knit community and culture that associates itself closely with the outcome of the football program.

Campbell’s core philosophy

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell high-fives with fans before a game vs. the BYU Cougars. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Penn State coach James Franklin was known for his buzzwords, including the “1-0 mindset,” but Campbell’s core values are slightly different. 

“Love, care, serve our players,” Campbell outlined as his core philosophy. “[To] create a place where young people feel confident, safe, proud to come into our football program and represent a football program the right way.”

Campbell said recruits for character and not just for the in-game highlights. Similar to Franklin, Campbell has always looked for players who fit the established culture of the program.

“What’s it look like when you’re not at your best, and how do you respond to adversity?” Campbell said of what he looks for when recruiting.

As college football evolves, particularly with the transfer portal shaking up rosters across the country, Campbell seeks out players who truly love football and will “stay the course.”

“I think [Iowa State] has always been a place where we're going to be better when we have juniors and seniors than when we’re a team of freshmen and sophomores,” Campbell said. “I’ve always said it’s really hard in college football to become a senior, especially today in college football. Finding those guys that love the sport so much that they’re willing to grow and develop in things like nutrition and strength and conditioning and the fundamentals and craft that it takes to reach your full potential.”

College football is a transformative time

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell reacts to a penalty called against the TCU Horned Frogs. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Campbell is adamant about prioritizing the player experience during a “transformational time” of their lives. That’s similar to Franklin’s belief that college football should be transformational instead of transactional. 

“I do get it. Winning football games is important,” he said. “But still the No. 1 priority is, we do have somebody’s son, and these are 18-22-year-olds that are growing from young man to man in a really critical time of their life. I know we put, you know, so much into the stock of winning at all costs, but the reality of the cost is 18-22-year-olds, and our responsibility is still to grow these young men into men.”

Watch Pate's interview with Campbell here.

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