The foundation of any successful football program isn’t built on Saturdays. It’s built every day through the culture established by its head coach.
Matt Campbell understands that challenge as well as anyone.
“I think it’s a unique challenge,” Campbell said. “But I think as a competitor, I don’t know if I’ve ever not thought about doing everything in my power to win weekly, yearly, game by game, season by season. I think the biggest thing is building the foundation of the culture.”
For Campbell, winning games is the byproduct of something much bigger.
“My whole belief process goes back to the value of how you do anything is how you do everything,” he said. “It’s all leading to being your best on those 12 guaranteed Saturdays. Everything the program is about is geared toward trying to win on Saturdays.”
That process began long before Penn State ever took the practice field. It started in a meeting room in Ames, Iowa, where Campbell informed Iowa State players that he was leaving for Happy Valley.
“That was a really tough weekend,” Penn State redshirt junior guard Trevor Buhr said.
“Going into that team meeting, I think everyone kind of knew what was coming. The room was completely silent. It felt like the air had been sucked out of it. It was just a hard day for everybody.”
What happened afterward left an even bigger impression.
“At the same time, I wasn’t surprised at all that Coach Campbell took the time to meet with every single player,” Buhr said. “That’s just who he is. He’s huge on relationships, and that’s always been one of the biggest things about him.”
Campbell spent hours meeting individually with players, finishing close to 3 a.m. It wasn’t a recruiting pitch. It was simply the way he believed people should be treated.
For Buhr, that authenticity helped shape his own decision.
“As far as my decision to transfer, it really came down to my goals for the future and the trust I had built with Coach Campbell and the rest of the staff,” he said. “I valued those relationships a lot, and I was really comfortable with everyone involved. That played a major role in my decision to follow them to Penn State.”
Buhr spent three seasons at Iowa State, redshirting in 2023 before becoming a key contributor over the next two years. He played in 13 games with six starts in 2024 before earning All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2025 after starting six more games.
His development also showed up statistically.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.According to Pro Football Focus, Buhr improved from a 55.1 overall grade in 2024 to 64.5 in 2025. His run-blocking grade climbed to 62.6, while his pass-blocking grade improved to 65.2.
That steady progression is one reason Campbell has previously called Buhr “one of the best offensive linemen in the Big 12.”
While many point to Buhr’s versatility as the reason he fits so well at Penn State, the veteran lineman credits offensive line coach Ryan Clanton for taking his game to another level.
“Coach Clanton is a great coach. He’s extremely smart,” Buhr said. “He and our assistant offensive line coach, J.B. (Jackson Scott-Brown), make a great team together.
“One thing I really appreciate about Coach Clanton is how much time he spends making sure we truly understand everything we’re learning. He goes into great detail on schemes, defensive looks, formations—everything. He’s always teaching, and he’s preparing us not just to be successful here, but for the NFL.
“Another thing that stands out is that he coaches everyone the same way. It doesn’t matter if you’re a senior or a freshman. Everyone gets the same attention, the same coaching, and the same expectations. I think that’s one of his best qualities.”
Buhr has earned a reputation as one of the conference’s most dependable pass protectors. In 2025, he did not allow a sack in 218 pass-blocking snaps, surrendered only five total quarterback pressures, and posted a 66.5 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets while protecting future Penn State starting quarterback Rocco Becht.
He’s just as effective in the run game and is eager to open lanes for a talented backfield that includes familiar face Carson Hansen along with Quinton Martin, Cam Wallace and James Peoples.
“I’m really excited to block for all of those guys,” Buhr said. “Obviously, I’ve blocked for Carson for a long time, and he’s a stud.
“Watching Q and James has been a lot of fun, too. Those guys are incredibly fast, really strong, and they can make one cut and be gone. I think what excites me the most is the big-play potential they all bring. Every time one of them touches the ball, there’s a chance they can take it the distance.”
Campbell often talks about building a program from the inside out.
Early in his tenure, he appears to have two essential pieces already in place: players who genuinely believe in the culture he’s creating, and experienced leaders like Buhr, whose physical play and professionalism help establish that culture in the trenches.
At Penn State, Campbell isn’t simply assembling a roster. He’s laying the foundation for everything he hopes the program will become.
