2025-26 Coaching Carousel

[herbsinator]

Campbell is an absolute homerun. He's a guy who would work in that place. Sitake would have failed, I don't think DeBoer would have done all that well there either.

If they pull him, they will have pulled a rabbit out of a hat and saved the entire program from a 5-year downslide.

I’m not so sure about that. They’ve already decided that semifinals of the CFP is not good enough. He’s going to have turn around things very quickly and maintain a super high level of success. Maybe he can do it, but he’s going to have an extremely short runway with no margin for error. He’s done a pretty good job at ISU, but making a true NC contender is a different ball game.

 

[RedSavage]

I think Campbell would be good but not elite at PSU and would not elevate them any higher than Franklin did

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Also at a place like Penn State, doing the job involves so much more than it does Cockeye State. Heacock gives tickets away in his neighborhood because even if things suck, no one gives enough of a shit to verbally abuse him. In State College though ...

 

[Tsakoi]

Question is....

What happens to all those Nebraska kids Campbell just signed for ISU?

Does he try to bring them with him? LoL

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Question is....

What happens to all those Nebraska kids Campbell just signed for ISU?

Does he try to bring them with him? LoL

They become horribly misses because they are going to Penn State. I don't make the rules

 

[Hedley Lamarr]

Campbell can basically make millions in Ames until he retires, your ass is getting fired at Penn State eventually.

 

[Tonkasker]

I’m not so sure about that. They’ve already decided that semifinals of the CFP is not good enough. He’s going to have turn around things very quickly and maintain a super high level of success. Maybe he can do it, but he’s going to have an extremely short runway with no margin for error. He’s done a pretty good job at ISU, but making a true NC contender is a different ball game.

This coaching search has reset their expectations. Getting back to the playoff is the new goal there. If they had hired Campbell on day one of the hiring cycle might be a different story

 

[realbp]

I’m not so sure about that. They’ve already decided that semifinals of the CFP is not good enough. He’s going to have turn around things very quickly and maintain a super high level of success. Maybe he can do it, but he’s going to have an extremely short runway with no margin for error. He’s done a pretty good job at ISU, but making a true NC contender is a different ball game.

What are we talking about here? There isn't a candidate that they have looked at during the entire process that was a better coach that BGJ.

Falling into Campbell is like being homeless and finding a winning lottery ticket on the street.

 

[realbp]

Campbell can basically make millions in Ames until he retires, your ass is getting fired at Penn State eventually.

With millions...what's the point?

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Campbell can basically make millions in Ames until he retires, your ass is getting fired at Penn State eventually.

I would be surprised if he took it. I think he's going to be loved forever in Ames and he's had a chance to take better gigs

 

[Kinish]

Agree Campbell is a good hire but is he really someone you fire James Franklin for?

well past that reasoning

 

[herbsinator]

This coaching search has reset their expectations. Getting back to the playoff is the new goal there. If they had hired Campbell on day one of the hiring cycle might be a different story

Your assumption that PSU fans are going to view this rationally is faulty IMO. The damage has been done and anyone they pick now is going to have major stink on them. Whoever the coach is now is going to be completely set up to fail, no matter what.

You don’t go from thinking Urban is a lock to suddenly being okay with Matt Campbell.

 

[realbp]

I would be surprised if he took it. I think he's going to be loved forever in Ames and he's had a chance to take better gigs

Penn St. is weird. A lot like Cockeye St. I think that could be a draw for him.

 

[Hedley Lamarr]

With millions...what's the point?

Campbell has had so many shots at leaving and he doesnt. It is well known he actually loves living in Ames. I know the team doctor really well (I live just south of Ames, my neighbor is a ISU booster). I think he retires and has a statue built eventually. He has done better than any coach ever at ISU and it isnt even remotely close. He won't ever get fired if he just is average and goes to bowls more years than not.

 

[nscottie]

What are we talking about here? There isn't a candidate that they have looked at during the entire process that was a better coach that BGJ.

Falling into Campbell is like being homeless and finding a winning lottery ticket on the street.

I’m behind. Who is BGJ

 

[ChocaEgg]

I’m behind. Who is BGJ

Big Gay James? Idk

 

[herbsinator]

Big Gay James? Idk

Big Girthy Johnson, aka Matt Campbell

 

[Tonkasker]

Rhule is by far better than Campbell in my opinion. Campbell hasn’t done shit at cockey state and he’s been there how long?

You guys love telling on yourselves

In 125 years half their bowl wins have come since 2017 (3/6)

Half the years they've finished ranked have come since 2017 (2/4)

They've gone to 20 bowl games in their history, he's taken them to 8 of those

All but one of their preseason rankings (4/5)

Taken them to every since conference title game they've played in

All but one of their 9+ win seasons

Their only NY6 bowl (insane accomplishment at Cockeye state)

Before he arrived they had (2!!!!) winning conference records since the Civil Rights act. He has 8 since. Insane

And he's doing it at one of the worst resourced schools in the country NIL-wise

Meanwhile matt rhule is consistently losing to peer programs like minnesota and Cockeye

 

[Tonkasker]

Your assumption that PSU fans are going to view this rationally is faulty IMO. The damage has been done and anyone they pick now is going to have major stink on them. Whoever the coach is now is going to be completely set up to fail, no matter what.

You don’t go from thinking Urban is a lock to suddenly being okay with Matt Campbell.

They're talking themselves into hiring the interim. I think its safe to say they just want stability at this point

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

It's always a gamble though to take a guy who has overachieved at a crap place and assume if you just resource him better he will be great.

I like Campbell he would have been my choice had Rhule bolted for PSU, but old man Riley was once upon a time an overachiever in the dumpster

I think the resources narrative is generally valid, but gets a bad rap here because it was the talking point for Riley, when he was already well on the downside of his career. He'd been at or below .500 4 of the previous 5 seasons before coming here.

Guys like Campbell who've had the occasional off year but keep a consistent trend line you can sell me would make a jump if they got to cook with real ingredients, and not just with leftovers.