Since hiring former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, Penn State football already sees the immediate effects of making the right choice. Aside from retaining interim head coach Terry Smith and improving recruitment hopes almost instantly, former Nittany Lions came out to support Campbell as the program's next head coach.
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One of the alumni is former quarterback Matt McGloin. According to Daniel Gallan of 247Sports, McGloin said Campbell is a coach he would've loved to play for.
"This is someone that I personally would have loved to have had the opportunity to play for," McGloin said, according Gallen. "A tough, respected leader who really embodies the values of Penn State, and again, as someone who has worn this uniform and lived this program, I'm so confident that we're moving in the right direction and are united in our future."
former Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin on Matt Campbell during this morning's BoT meeting: "This is someone that I personally would have loved to have had the opportunity to play for. A tough, respected leader who really embodies the values of Penn State, and again, as…
— Daniel Gallen (@danieljtgallen) December 8, 2025
McGloin played for Penn State from 2009-12. He finished his career with 513 completions (57.4 completion percentage) for 6,390 yards, 46 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. On the ground, he had seven rushing touchdowns. McGloin played for the Oakland Raiders from 2013-17.
The quarterback didn't get to experience playing under incoming Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin, who started his tenure in 2014. McGloin primarily played under former head coach Joe Paterno and briefly for then-interim head coach Tom Bradley once Paterno was dismissed. In his final season, Bill O'Brien served as his head coach.
McGloin is someone who knows what it's like to adjust to a new head coach, having been through it twice, including an interim. For current Nittany Lions who have eligibility remaining, hearing someone have confidence in Campbell from a player perspective can go a long way.
Many said they would stay in Happy Valley as long as Smith gets the full-time role. That didn't happen. However, Smith is staying at Penn State, hopefully encouraging the players who rallied behind in to also stay put. Having alumni support and retaining Smith in the process might be a perfect combination for the Nittany Lions to start the rebuild on a high note.
On top of potentially keeping players at Penn State, hearing praise from a former player can also be enticing for those in the Transfer Portal — Iowa State players or not.
All in all, the Nittany Lions put themselves in a great position hiring Campbell. The long-term effects have yet to be seen, but within a few days, there haven't been complaints from anyone involved, including the Cyclones' athletic director.