Matt Campbell to Penn State??

[NorthCyd]

People saying Campbell would not take the Penn State job are strange. They actually still believe in this day and age that a coach won't leave Iowa State for a better gig. Yes, I love my Cyclones but Penn State is a far better job than Iowa State. Way more money, Tradition, easier to recruit. Not saying campbell goes but I would not be one bit shocked. He grew up in Big Ten land. This is a prime job for him.

It would also appear to be a better fit than pretty much any other job besides ND that he has apparently been a serious candidate for. The USC job seemed like a terrible fit and it sure sounds like he was ready to take that one. He could definitely take PSU if offered. I wouldn't call it a certainty he would but this one should scare people more than most.

 

[12191987]

I could see Campbell going after next year as he will have lots of kids leaving and it's a pretty big rebuild

Will see...

If Campbell is offered PSU and doesn’t go then he is either waiting for the Steelers job or is at ISU forever.

 

[cyfanatic]

Those are all true.

However, at Penn State you can get fired 5 games removed from the playoff semifinal. He has a lifetime contract at ISU and has never won the conference championship game, let alone advance in the playoffs.

I agree with what you are saying and money is not the motivating factor to all that it is to some...but you could make the same amount of money at Penn State in 5 years that one would at Iowa State in 10 years. I know...Campbell has a lot of money already and doesn't seem to stress about that type of thing. But it does enter the discussion at some point...

 

[Al_4_State]

I've always assumed he'd leave for PSU if offered.

However, between the timing, the fact that he is very clearly far down their list, and the way they fired Franklin I'm more optimistic that he'd find it undesirable.

 

[alenz95]

Unless Penn State already has something lined up with a big name, whoever takes this job is walking into a terrible situation. Fans already know they've been swinging and missing on their targets. I can almost guarantee that whoever gets the job will already be on the hot seat in year 1. Franklin literally just made the Semi Finals last year, and it wasn't good enough for any grace this year. There will be absurd expectations with almost no wiggle room to build a program.

 

[RagingCloner]

Personally, i think its Diaz, and no announcement has been made because hes still actively coaching Duke. Sunday will be very telling

 

[GMackey32]

The only jobs I think about Campbell taking is Notre Dame and Ohio State. But I'm not going to worry about something I have zero control over.

 

[StPaulCyclone]

Wait so I thought he was an ISU fan, but he wants us to lose our coach?

Yes but he has since said the CMC shouldn’t take the job.

 

[Koala]

For what it's worth, Kraft was the AD at Temple when Manny Diaz took the job then left less than 3 weeks later when Miami opened up.

The longer this goes on the less attractive the Penn State job seems to me simply because you have to wonder if Kraft knows what he's doing or what his plan actually is. Campbell's worked for Pollard for a decade and I have to imagine a good relationship with a competent AD is important to him, so is this the situation that would finally draw him away from Iowa State? Maybe, I don't know.

 

[Malty Flannel]

This is the first cycle I've seen that I can remember where no P4 head coaches have left for "bigger jobs"(kiffin aside). Every BXII or ACC coach that's been contacted has chosen to stay at their school. Rhule staying at Neb. Every SEC job was a poach of the American. For this reason if nothing else it'd be really discouraging if Campbell left

 

[CyGuy5]

If the worst case does happen? He gave us 10 good years and has the program in a great spot. And ISU has more clarity on what type of coach to target should MC move on.

I agree with pretty much everything you said. Although the big concern for me, is if he would leave I have no clue who we would hire, especially at this point in the cycle. I would pray we don’t promote someone like Mouser who has no HC experience.

 

[twincyties]

The only jobs I think about Campbell taking is Notre Dame and Ohio State. But I'm not going to worry about something I have zero control over.

I’ve heard this from people that know him well personally.

You never know and things change, but that job has been open for awhile now and there has been absolutely no discussion about Campbell until now.

 

[FallOf81]

Win us a Conference title next year and a spot in the playoffs ... then move on ... I'd be A OK with that.

 

[BACyclone]

Ultimately this is up to Matt and only he knows what he values most, but from a coaching fraternity / values standpoint, I have to think it is a serious disqualifier for Penn State that Franklin had them to the literal CFP semifinal last season and was fired mid-season this year. Nothing else really matters in my book.

 

[12191987]

Those are all true.

However, at Penn State you can get fired 5 games removed from the playoff semifinal. He has a lifetime contract at ISU and has never won the conference championship game, let alone advance in the playoffs.

Uhh, I’m not sure that is a fair assessment of PSU.

Franklin was fired during his 11th season.

Who was the last coach to be fired by PSU before Franklin?

No, really?

He might be the only HC ever fired at PSU. They’ve played 138 seasons.

I don’t have the patience to research it, but regardless he is definitely the first coach they’ve fired in over 100 years.

And again, he had been there over a decade.

Edit: This and the small town environment of State College is why I think PSU is perfect for Campbell and Campbell is perfect for PSU.

Edit 2: Ha. I forgot they actually fired Paterno. But still, that was more because that was back when child rape was a (semi) punishable offense. Regardless, there is no reason to think Campbell would have to worry about being fired for cause.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

People saying Campbell would not take the Penn State job are strange. They actually still believe in this day and age that a coach won't leave Iowa State for a better gig. Yes, I love my Cyclones but Penn State is a far better job than Iowa State. Way more money, Tradition, easier to recruit. Not saying campbell goes but I would not be one bit shocked. He grew up in Big Ten land. This is a prime job for him.

PSU is a better job in most aspects. But not in job stability, autonomy, or culturally imo.

Now money and success would probably trump those three traits for most people. But that PSU job is going to be a ******** next year. They have 2 incoming HS recruits, and if it’s an outside hire, most of the current roster is going to transfer. So you’re starting from square one.

All that said, as @Cyched commented, if he leaves, he gave us a great 10 year run and that’s all we can really ask for. I’ll wish him well. And there are several coaching candidates that I’d be excited to see take over. My first call would absolutely be to Scheelaase.

I’m also not going to use the words “scared” or “anxiety”. I love MC but he’s just a football coach. This isn’t something to be “scared” of imo.

 

[twincyties]

Agree with point above. Penn State fan and donor base was getting rightfully tired of Franklin not being able to win the big game.

I think Losing another big one in OT against Oregon is when they started sharpening the knives. Loss at bad UCLA team was when things started to boil over and then loss at home against Northwestern was nail in the coffin.

If Franklin was not 12-25 against ranked teams coming into this season I suspect he gets a longer leash.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

We're leaving out an awful lot of context on why Franklin got fired. Yes, he was in the semi-final last year, however, that doesn't cancel out a decade of not being able to beat Michigan and Ohio State or win really any big game.

He also got to play SMU and Boise to get to that semifinal.

 

[Clark]

We're leaving out an awful lot of context on why Franklin got fired. Yes, he was in the semi-final last year, however, that doesn't cancel out a decade of not being able to beat Michigan and Ohio State or win really any big game.

He also got to play SMU and Boise to get to that semifinal.

To put it another way, Matt Campbell has a better record against top 10 teams than James Franklin did at Penn St.

 

[Bestaluckcy]

The Iowa Hawkeyes used to have the same opinion of Tom Davis, could be fun to watch how it all plays out.