At the end of the day, the majority of Penn State fans will judge coach Matt Campbell by wins and losses.
That’s how it works in sports, and certainly in the Big Ten.
But one thing that Campbell has done in his six-plus months on the job is make sure that he has the support of the school’s history.
Program legends such as Todd Blackledge, Kyle Brady and Chuck Fusina have been back on campus.
Something unique about Brandon Short is that, yes, he is a program great, having been a two-time first-team All-Big Ten performer and a consensus All-American in 1999, but he’s also a part of the future of Penn State football.
Short is a member of the university’s Board of Trustees, so he was on the phone with Campbell before he took the PSU job.
In an exclusive interview Friday night at the Karli Short Better Tomorrow Foundation Gala, Short told Nittany Sports Now what his initial impressions of the new PSU coach were.
“It was a long process,” Short said, “but the first thing that stuck out to me, like I heard that he had turned down multiple pro jobs, but the first thing that stuck out is the connection that I have with him on the phone. We started talking, and (he) immediately told me he was a defensive end. And he knew that that was the way to my heart, that he knows how to pass rush. And we talked about his kids and his family. So what stood out is how personable he was and how, like, we had a natural connection when we first started our discussion.”
Indeed, Campbell fought off interest from multiple NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions in 2021, in order to stay at Iowa State.
He remained in Ames for four seasons, knowing it would take quite an opportunity to leave.
In an exclusive interview with NSN Friday night, Campbell said he feels he and his staff have “one of the great opportunities of all time to continue to unify and align this.”
“I don’t know if there’s a greater tradition, both on and off the field of excellence, than what Penn State football is,” Campbell said. “I feel like we’ve made great headway, and at the end of the day, we continue to sprint to work every day to represent this program and its history the right way.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Another player who helped make Penn State’s tradition what it is was on hand Friday.
LaVar Arrington was teammates with from 1997-1999, and in that time, became a two-time All-American and won the Bednarik Award (best defensive player), the Butkus Award (best linebacker) and the Jack Lambert trophy (another linebacker award).
Something that impresses Arrington about Campbell is his relatability.
(Campbell is) secure in who he is is all about,” Arrington told NSN, “what Penn State represents and building it like this. You know, for it to be a new chapter for our program, I’m confident that he’s the type of guy that can really be a positive asset to our program. And to our university and our community as a whole.”
Campbell is a fan of Arrington, as well.
“I’d still ask him, man, if he can come out and get us about twenty-five reps right now,” Campbell said. But LaVar is awesome. Again, his spirit, his excellence, what he stood for. I just feel like he’s been such a huge asset to me with great wisdom.”
Arrington’s son, LaVar II, is a current defensive end at Penn State and was in attendance.
“We’re really fortunate that his sons are a huge part of our football team,” Campbell said. “But I think bigger than that, Levar is an advocate for us to be able to bounce ideas how we’re building our program forward. Really grateful for that.
Overall, Short feels Penn State hit a home run.
“I’ll say to you what I said to everybody at Penn State,” Short said, “the guy’s a twelve out of ten. I mean, his ability to recruit, his ability to connect, and he knows the X’s and o’s, and he’s I think he’s a great fit for the university, and we’re lucky to have him.”
