Breaking: Penn State Set to Land Matt Campbell as Next Football Coach

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Penn State's search for a new head football coach appears to be nearing its end, with reports emerging that the program is working to finalize a deal with Iowa State's Matt Campbell. The 46-year-old coach has a proven track record, boasting a 72-55 record at Iowa State and a 107-70 overall head coaching record. Campbell's hiring comes after the Nittany Lions narrowed their focus to him following the decision of BYU's Kalani Sitake and Louisville's Jeff Brohm to stay with their respective programs. In the 54 days since James Franklin's departure, four top programs have filled coaching vacancies, leaving Penn State to act quickly to secure its next coach. Terry Smith, the interim head coach, was considered a strong candidate but ultimately didn't secure the job. Campbell's hiring is expected to bring stability to the program, which has struggled in recruiting since Franklin's firing. The Nittany Lions signed only two recruits during the early signing period after losing several commits to other programs. However, Campbell's potential arrival could bring some of his Iowa State commitments to Penn State, and the program is expected to aggressively pursue talent via the transfer portal. Campbell, a native of Massillon, Ohio, has a strong coaching background, having worked as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green and as an offensive coordinator at Mount Union. He began his head coaching career at Toledo in 2012 and has since led Iowa State to impressive seasons, including an 11-3 record last season.