When one head coach moves from one school to another, he is likely to bring some of his former staff members with him. As Penn State gets set to introduce Matt Campbell as the next head coach of the Nittany Lions on Monday, reports are showing Campbell is bringing some of his key staff members from Iowa State with him to Happy Valley.
According to some reports over the weekend, including from Pete Nakos of On3, Campbell is looking to bring Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock to Happy Valley. If Heacock takes on the role of defensive coordinator, that would bring an abrupt end to Penn State’s employment of Jim Knowles.
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Penn State will also reportedly be adding Iowa State assistant athletics director for football player personnel Derek Hoodjer to the Penn State staff. Hoodjer is an Iowa State graduate and has been a part of the Iowa State staff in Ames since 2011, making him a strong and familiar asset for Campbell throughout his coaching tenure with the Cyclones. Hoodjer’s exact title will be confirmed later, but he will likely take on a similar role within the Penn State program.
One key staff member who remains with Penn State during the coaching change is Terry Smith. Smith had been an important member of the coaching staff under former head coach James Franklin and was named the interim head coach following the dismissal of Franklin. Smith coached the second half of the season and went 3-3 with a three-game winning streak to close out the regular season to clinch bowl eligibility for the Nittany Lions.
One other key Penn State staff member who could remain on the staff for Campbell is linebackers coach Dan Connor. The former standout Penn State linebacker joined the Penn State staff in 2022 as a defensive analyst and was elevated to linebackers coach this season.
Penn State will face Clemson in this year’s Pinstripe Bowl, and it is expected that Smith will coach the game in his final official act as interim head coach.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State begins building Matt Campbell’s staff
