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Matt Campbell is committed to building a culture Penn State needs after James Franklin

At Big Ten Media Days, the new Nittany Lion head coach ensured the culture he's instilling won't crumble after one loss.
BySydney Ciano|
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Dec 8, 2025; University Park, PA, USA; Matt Campbell, left, listens to Penn State University president Neeli Bendapudi speak as he is announced as the Penn State Nittany Lions new head coach during a press conference at the Beaver Stadium Press Room. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
Dec 8, 2025; University Park, PA, USA; Matt Campbell, left, listens to Penn State University president Neeli Bendapudi speak as he is announced as the Penn State Nittany Lions new head coach during a press conference at the Beaver Stadium Press Room. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State football head coach Matt Campbell is enforcing a blue-collar work ethic in Happy Valley.

Culture has been a huge part of Campbell's short time as head coach so far. He has ensured to look back on the Nittany Lions' legacy and history while keeping his eyes set on bringing greatness back to Penn State. A national title won't happen in Year 1, but he is focused on securing the foundation to build the program back up to that level of success.

"At Penn State, we choose a culture to do what is hard rather than what is easy, and we want people who want something more than just winning football games," Campbell told reporters on Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days.

Matt Campbell is building a culture that can withstand losses

Fans might not want to hear a rendition of "it's not all about winning" after barely scraping by 6-6 in 2025, firing former head coach James Franklin, and failing to meet even the bare minimum expectations of last season. Winning is critical, and winning is something the Nittany Lions must get back to doing.

Campbell isn't necessarily incorrect, though. Winning games happen before Saturdays, and before Week 1 entirely. If Penn State wants to get back into national championship contention conversations, it has to earn its spot. The Nittany Lions have yet to prove anything under Campbell.

More importantly, building a culture that isn't exlcusively reliant on winning is what Penn State needs after 2025's failure of a season.

In the 2024 College Football Playoff, the Nittany Lions were a play away from playing for a national title. They were the No. 2 team in the 2025 preseason polls and the expectations were not only extravagant, but they were loud. There was no escaping the fact that Penn State needed to win. When that didn't happen in Week 5, the foundation of that season collapsed instantly. The Nittany Lions no longer held the winning identity the season was built on before it even began, and they didn't know how to handle a defeating loss.

Losses happen and Penn State will experience them under Campbell. The work ethic, commitment, and grit before, during, and after game day is essential. The final score matters, but how the Nittany Lions react to wins and losses matter even more.

Resiliency is hard work. Every physical and mental rep counts towards a season, whether it's in the middle of the regular season, in the CFP, or during the offseason. That mindset is what Campbell has instilled into the players and has been something he's emphasized since taking the job. The small picture killed Penn State in 2025. Campbell is making sure that doesn't happen again.

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