Terry Smith Reflects on His 2025 Season and Looks Toward Penn State's Future

The former Nittany Lions' interim head coach discusses recruiting and roster-building with Matt Campbell.

Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith walks on the field before a game vs. the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Terry Smith is Penn State's associate head football coach again, though he's not the same person in the role. After a seven-game run as the Nittany Lions' interim head coach, which included a Pinstripe Bowl victory, Smith knows now that he can direct from the podium. Though he's happy retreating a bit from the spotlight.

"I learned a lot about myself," Smith said of going 4-3 in charge of Penn State last season. "Be patient, be diligent, trust your process. Believe in it. Be a servant leader. Continue to be a servant leader. Serve people, and when you serve people, they'll serve you back. And good things can happen."

Now, Smith is working alongside head coach Matt Campbell, who made Smith one of his initial hiring priorities when taking the job. Smith, who returned to coach cornerbacks as well, has unique insight into how Penn State operated before and after Campbell. Smith recently discussed a variety of topics related to Penn State football's past, present and future, including his expanded role on staff and what has changed.

Question: What have the past few months been like for you?

Terry Smith: It's been great. You know, it's been a rollercoaster ride. The season played out how it played out, and winning the Pinstripe Bowl was truly a high. But then you don't get a chance to just sit and relish that, because we got right back on the road recruiting and trying to put together a roster for next year. But it's been really, really good. Coach Campbell's been awesome. He's been great to work with. And you know, we're just trying to manipulate our roster right now and just get our guys to think as one, because it's truly a blended family coming together and just getting our Penn State guys and our Iowa State guys to think as one and to think as a family.

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell celebrates with quarterback Rocco Becht after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Question: What did you do after the Pinstripe Bowl?

Terry Smith: I think we got like two days off, but then we had to get right back on the road and go recruiting for the next cycle, trying to figure out a roster, trying to retain a roster, recruit the current Penn State guys, and then recruit the Iowa State guys as well. So I think that following weekend, we had an official-visit weekend, and there had to be 15 or 20 prospects here that weekend. So we just dove right back in.

Question: What is recruiting like now after being the interim head coach?

Terry Smith: I think the big advantage now on the road is, more players and staff know who I am. If I'm in the South, which is SEC territory, I walk in the door, they recognize me now. Even other coaches from other universities, the conversations are just a little bit different. Obviously, being a head coach, there's so much attention on that position, but it's been great. It allows me to give a different experience level and communicate a different way to the prospects now, because I truly know what that seat feels like, and what can and can't be done, and how we can help their experience if they choose Penn State.

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

Question: How has your role changed with Matt Campbell as head coach?

Terry Smith: My associate [head coach] role is different and bigger than under James [Franklin]. Coach Campbell has conversations with me about how he wants to do different things, and I’ll share my insight to certain things and ultimately he has to make the final decision.

James would ask me certain things, but it's different under Matt. Everyone in the building knows that I'm the associate head coach. Under James, that wasn't clear.

Question: How have the Penn State and Iowa State cultures blended?

Terry Smith: The Iowa State culture is very similar to what Penn State's culture is, so we're built the same. So now it's just blending the family and blending the staff as one and just thinking the Penn State way. I think Coach Campbell's done a great job with that. We're not going to compromise talent over the culture of the building and good people, but that's what Penn State's been for 100 plus years. So the alignment is perfect for right now.

Question: What excites you about defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn's scheme?

Terry Smith: I think one of the best things that I've learned about coaches is, each year they adapt to their personnel. We really don't know what this group is going to master, and he's open to, 'OK, in spring ball we have to figure out, are we still a good man-cover team? Are we a better zone-cover team? Are we a better blitz team, or are we a drop-eight team or whatever the coverages are?' He's not preconceiving the idea we're going to do this and stuffing it on us. Let's figure out what these guys do best, get our best 11 guys on the field, and then we'll draw up whatever is necessary to be successful.

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

Question: Are there benefits to having a younger coaching staff?

Terry Smith: I think there are benefits. We get these young, creative minds and they're not locked into old-school ways. And sometimes old-school guys are like, 'Hey, we've done it this way, and it's worked for 50 years, and let's just keep doing it.' That doesn't mean it's right. So the young guys come in with creative ideas, new ways, new ideas. I'm excited to be around these guys. I'm excited to learn from them. Coach D'Anton Lynn, he's so much younger than me, but he's such a talented mind and coach. So just to be a sponge and just keep learning and advancing yourself. But there's a place for us old guys, too. We're not knee-jerk reaction guys. We're kind of, 'Hey, let's settle down and let things settle and approach it this way.' And so there's a balance. It gives diversity of thought.

Question: What is coaching life like for you now?

Terry Smith: I can sleep now, I don’t have all these thoughts running through my head. I can go back to normal life. It was great. It was a great experience. But now it's re-acquainting myself with my corners. When I took over [as interim head coach] I didn't coach the corners, and I wasn't in the room. I wasn't a part of that group anymore. But now I'm getting back to know those guys, getting to know the couple of guys that came in that are new, and trying to get their mindset right. it's another good group that we're going to lean on to play a lot of good football for us, and just trying to demand more consistency out of the group. I'm just re-establishing myself as their guy.

Question: Are you surprised at how quickly this came together?

Terry Smith: You're always optimistic that you're going to put the best roster together. Coach Campbell did a great job. Everything starts and stops with him. He was diligent in his approach. The coaches underneath him brought a lot of creative ideas for him, and he figured out ways to retain a roster, how to go get new guys to the roster. And then he put the staff together so quickly, we were able to pull together a really good roster. We’ve got a chance to be successful next year.

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