Penn State football hired Matt Campbell as its new head coach after James Franklin's tenure, putting an end to a frustrating and long head coach search since the middle of October.
Penn State reportedly hires Matt Campbell to new multi-year deal that's hard to believe
Despite Campbell leaving Iowa State for the Nittany Lions, Cyclones athletic director Jamie Pollard had no ill feelings towards his now-former head coach.
Jamie Pollard says "Matt Campbell owes Iowa State nothing"
Though a sad time for Iowa State, Pollard got emotional about Campbell and everything he accomplished with the Cyclones while emphasizing that pages turn all the time in life.
"You're sad, but I get it. I've done this long enough," Pollard said of his initial reaction to Campbell leaving Iowa State. "These jobs are hard, and we make sacrifices that fans will never understand. We do. And he's had an amazing run as our football coach and didn't get to do it in front of his family and friends. He had other times he could've left and he chose not to. Matt Campbell owes Iowa State nothing because he did more than we could've ever, ever dreamed he could do as our head coach.
"And so, yeah, a page turns, but none of us are here forever, and so life goes on. And that's how I just viewed it, and . . . I've been here 21 years, it's not the first time we've gone through something like this . . . The sun will come up on the East like it does every morning, and we'll go on and that's why I'm excited about where we're going."
"Matt Campbell owes Iowa State nothing."
— Shannon Ehrhardt (@SEhrhardtKCCI) December 6, 2025
AD Jamie Pollard tears up talking Campbell's 10-year run...powerful stuff @KCCINews pic.twitter.com/fOc44U3LCq
Campbell spent 10 years at Iowa State, finishing his tenure with a 72-55 record. From his first to second season, he took the Cyclones from a 3-9 to an 8-5 record, only having one additional losing record (4-8 in 2022) in his decade at the school.
He took Iowa State to seven bowl games, going 3-4 in the non-playoff contests. The Cyclones also had their first 11-win season under Campbell, winning the Pop-Tarts Bowl in 2024 and ending 11-3 on the whole season.
Having a solid record and run with Iowa State is one thing, but having Pollard get emotional in regards to Campbell's success at the school is another. He brought the Cyclones back into the win column after their most recent winning season was back in 2009 (7-6), and he did so without having his family and friends around him, according to Pollard. In 2021, Campbell was linked to the open Detroit Lions head coach job, but he declined and stayed with Iowa State.
The Nittany Lions hired a selfless, determined head coach who won't vacate Happy Valley just because a seemingly better offer is in his inbox, and that's the kind of coach they will want to rebuild their program around.