New Penn State football coach Matt Campbell might host a famous visitor after moving into his office at the Lasch Football Building. Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni played football, and roomed, with Campbell at Division III Mount Union in Ohio and looks forward to a trip to State College next year.
“Really excited to be able to take a drive down there and talk football with him even more,” Sirianni told reporters in Philadelphia on Saturday. “We can do it on our phones, but now i can go watch a spring practice [at Penn State] or something like that. … But [I’m] looking really forward to watching him. I just think he’s a great football coach.”
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Penn State hired Campbell on Friday, concluding an eight-week search that included a variety of candidates and one coach publicly declining the job (BYU’s Kalani Sitake). Campbell arrives at Penn State after 10 seasons at Iowa State, where he became the program’s winningest coach. He was part of quite a team at Mount Union in Ohio.
Campbell and Sirianni won three Division III national championships together at Mount Union from 2000-02. Campbell was two-time All-America defensive lineman, while Sirianni was an all-conference wide receiver. The two also coached together at Mount Union, working for longtime Purple Raiders coach Larry Kehres and winning a national championship in 2005.
“I’ve been an Iowa State fan for the last 10 years,” said Sirianni, referring to Campbell’s 10 seasons as the Cyclones’ head coach. “When you’re coaching football yourself, you’re not a fan of anybody,
really, right? So you lose that ability to be a fan.
“But [Washington and Jefferson], I’m checking their score every week for my brother [Mike, the head coach]. Mount Union, I’ve checked them every week. I’ll always check my nephew’s football team, Southwestern [in New York]. I always check Iowa State and Toledo, but I’ve got to switch Toledo now, too, because Jason Candle got the job over there at UConn.”
Candle played with Campbell and Sirianni at Mount Union and replaced Campbell as Mount Union’s offensive coordinator in 2007. Candle and Campbell also worked together at Toledo, where Candle replaced him as head coach when Campbell left for Iowa State.
Campbell arrives at Penn State after becoming the winningest coach in Iowa State history, compiling a 72-55 record with the Cyclones. Campbell’s teams won at least eight games five times, including an 11-3 season in 2024.
“I’m really excited for him, really excited for him and the opportunity that he has,” Sirianni said. “Well-deserved. Phenomenal, phenomenal football coach, phenomenal person, great family.”
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni walks through the tunnel for warmups against the Chicago Bears at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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