Matt Campbell’s move to Penn State is official, and while the $70.5 million, eight-year contract grabbed headlines, the coach says his decision was about more than money. In an exclusive interview with ESPN’s Josh Pate, Campbell outlined the three driving factors behind leaving Iowa State.

“I think for me to ever leave, it had to be right in three ways.” Matt Campbell said on the Josh Pate CFB show. “By my family, number one. Number two, the leadership, whom you were going to link arms. Could you link arms with people that you know were the right people for you? And then number three, most importantly, you know, and we talked about this at Iowa State, where you have a chance to go somewhere you can stand for what’s right.”

There’s no question the $70.5 million deal is a major win for Campbell, complete with a private jet, two courtesy vehicles, a full buyout, a one-year extension for reaching the playoffs, and a two-year extension for winning them. But Campbell insists the real motivation behind his move runs deeper than perks. Family, leadership, and personal grounding ultimately pushed the decision. Campbell’s Rust Belt ties and the chance to be closer to his family in Ohio ultimately shaped the decision. With his wife, kids, and in-laws already there, the move to Penn State simply made practical sense.

Leaving a program after a decade, especially one he guided to eight winning Big 12 seasons, is never simple. But Campbell saw Penn State as a place where he could bring long-term steadiness and compete at a higher national level. It’s a path other coaches have taken as well. Jimbo Fisher left Florida State for Texas A&M, and Brian Kelly moved from Notre Dame to LSU, each looking for the right combination of opportunity, support, and a shot at sustained national relevance.

Campbell is taking small steps to rebuild the program, and the early signs suggest it’s working. After James Franklin was fired, Penn State’s recruiting class took a steep dive, with multiple four- and five-star commits backing away and leaving only two players still on board: four-star edge Jackson Ford and quarterback Peyton Falzone. But Campbell’s arrival has begun to shift that momentum.

One of the clearest indicators came when 247Sports reporter Tyler Calvaruso noted that Penn State has suddenly emerged as a major contender for four-star wide receiver Cooper Ohnmacht. The Kansas standout, ranked No. 2 in the state’s 2027 class, is giving the Nittany Lions serious consideration, specifically after Campbell took over despite holding offers from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas State, Kansas, and even Campbell’s former program, Iowa State. Campbell himself recognizes why this kind of renewed interest matters.

“How do you build the 2026 team, whether it has to do with building our staff or, you know, finding out, you know, what we’re going to do with the portal? But I think you have to come and ask the right questions.” Matt Campbell said. “I think you have to put your ego at the door and be willing to be humble enough to figure out what the situations are and what the challenges are so you can make the right moves moving forward. I think if you’re fast and wrong, I think it can—you may never get off the ground.”

Still, even with early momentum, Campbell knows the program faces a long climb, and every misstep will be magnified as the rebuild unfolds.

Matt Campbell’s program finds itself in a weird spot

Now that the regular season is finally over, teams are preparing for playoffs and bowls, but when it comes to Penn State, they are taking digs at other teams. Last week, a leaked audio from a team meeting of athletic director Pat Kraft made headlines, where he was discussing the Nittany Lions’ situation this season while taking digs at Oregon and Michigan.

In one part of the audio clip, Kraft was also heard talking about Michigan’s sign-stealing controversy under Jim Harbaugh and their championship win in the 2023 season. He referred to the Michigan team as “cheaters” and even referred to Dan Lanning of Oregon as a “fraud” while talking to his team.

“Oregon? Their f——g quarterback was shaking in overtime. But we have to win those f—-g games,” Kraft said.

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After the harsh comments, Kraft made a public apology to the teams and stated the reason behind his comments.

“What I will tell you about that is I’m embarrassed,” Kraft said. “I apologize to anyone I might have offended with that video that leaked. Personally, it’s been challenging for me. But I am very passionate about Penn State. … I fell short of the standard that I should represent.”

With Campbell settling in and turbulence already swirling around the program, the next few months will show whether Penn State can stabilize or whether the noise becomes part of the challenge he’s now tasked with fixing.