NFL OTAs are underway, and the Philadelphia Eagles had their second day of voluntary workouts on Wednesday, May 27. Penn State head coach Matt Campbell took it upon himself to keep ties with a former Mount Union roommate of his and pay the Eagles a visit before official visit season strikes.
Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni and Campbell were teammates and roomed together when the two attended and played for the Division III Purple Raiders. They won three national championships together while at Mount Union and both received high honors. Campbell was a two-time All-American defensive lineman and Sirianni was an all-conference wide receiver.
Beyond their playing years, they also coached the Purple Raiders. Sirianni was Mount Union's defensive backs coach from 2004-05 and Campbell was its offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 2005-06. The two won a championship together as coaches in their overlapping 2005 season.
That’s Penn State coach Matt Campbell and JMU coach Billy Napier in the background: pic.twitter.com/pFQyX8dBHW
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) May 27, 2026
When Campbell got the job in Happy Valley, Siranni was excited to reconnect with his former teammate in person versus almost exclusively over the phone.
"I'm really excited for him, really excited for him and the opportunity that he has," Sirianni told Penn State Nittany Lions on SI when Campbell was hired. "Well-deserved. Phenomenal, phenomenal football coach, phenomenal person, great family."
Sirianni also mentioned at the time that he was excited to visit Campbell and the Nittany Lions at some point. Between seeing an old friend and strengthening connections with former Penn Staters, it only makes sense that Campbell do the same.
The Eagles currently have three former Penn Staters on their roster: running back Saquon Barkley (2018 NFL Draft, Round 1 pick, No. 2 overall), cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields (2022 NFL Draft, Round 6 pick, 221st overall), and linebacker Arnold Ebiketie (2022 NFL Draft, Round 2 pick, 38th overall).
Campbell emphasized how important keeping ties with alumni is. While he has strong connections with Philadelphia via Sirianni, maintaining those relationships with former Nittany Lions even just by showing up is significant.
This is the final week before Penn State begins its series of official visits.
Friday, June 5 through Sunday. June 7 is the first weekend Campbell will host Class of 2027 recruits. Twenty-four are scheduled to be in Happy Valley, including four-star wide receiver target Khalil Taylor. Three-star wideout Jaden Baldwin is also visiting on Monday, June 8.
After that large group of recruits, things die down slightly for the Nittany Lions. They'll host four on June 12-14 and two on June 19-21.
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