Matt Campbell’s first several months as Penn State football coach have included encouraging roster moves, a promising culture shift and some frustrating developments on the recruiting trail. Zach Seyko and Andrew Kalista (https://x.com/KalistaAndrew) give Campbell an early grade and debate whether Penn State’s recruiting must improve before the program can truly surpass the James Franklin era.
The discussion covers Campbell’s fit-first recruiting philosophy, Penn State’s 2027 and 2028 classes, the transfer portal, NIL valuations and the importance of building an older roster. Zach and Andrew also evaluate Pat Kraft’s leadership, the Matt Campbell coaching search, the Adidas partnership, Beaver Stadium renovations and the leaked audio controversy.
Plus, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi says the ACC is better than the Big Ten and reveals that he has contacted Kraft about renewing the Penn State–Pitt rivalry. Should the Nittany Lions bring Pitt back, or should Syracuse, West Virginia and other regional opponents receive equal priority?
What grade would you give Matt Campbell, and do you believe Pat Kraft is helping Penn State football move forward?
Photo credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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0:00 Intro
1:19 Grading Matt Campbell’s Start at Penn State
3:20 Penn State Recruiting Must Get Better
5:41 Matt Campbell’s Fit-First Roster Strategy
8:08 Campbell’s Culture and Early Reviews
12:20 Is Pat Kraft Helping or Hurting Penn State?
16:11 Pat Kraft’s Visibility and Leadership Style
18:18 Adidas, Beaver Stadium and Revenue Wins
20:33 The Leaked Audio and James Franklin Decision
24:56 Pat Narduzzi: ACC Better Than the Big Ten?
28:44 Could Penn State–Pitt Return?
30:14 Penn State’s Ideal Nonconference Schedule
32:30 Final Takeaways
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