Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542734
I n addition to fielding a revamped ros- ter, Penn State will have an extensively overhauled coaching staff in 2026. New head coach Matt Campbell has welcomed eight new position coaches and two coordinators to State College. Five of those 10 coaches were part of Camp- bell's program at Iowa State last year, while three others came from Big Ten rivals. The Nittany Lions have retained a pair of primary position coaches and one co- ordinator from the previous staff. After taking over the program on an interim ba- sis for Penn State's final seven games of the 2025 season, Terry Smith will be back as cornerbacks coach and associate head coach, while Dan Connor returns to over- see the linebackers alongside newcomer Tyson Veidt, and Justin Lustig will be back for his third season as special teams coor- dinator. Here's a look at the new coordinators and position coaches who have come aboard since Campbell was hired in early December. Coordinators D'Anton Lynn | Defense Penn State tried to hire Lynn away from USC last year before u l t i m a te ly b r i n g i n g i n O h i o S ta te 's J i m Knowles to replace the Clemson-bound Tom Allen. The Nittany Li- ons got their man this time, though not without plenty of bar- gaining. Lynn's buyout to leave the Trojans was a "real hurdle" in getting the deal done, as reported by On3's Pete Nakos. Because it's a private school, the terms of his contract do not have to be dis- closed. But Lynn was making more than $1 million annually at UCLA in 2023, according to the Los Angeles Times. He likely received a pay bump when he joined the Trojans' staff ahead of the 2024 season and reportedly received a contract extension before the 2025 campaign. Despite the financial hurdles, Penn State got the deal done, and now the 36-year-old coordinator is back in State College, where he was a three-time honorable mention All-Big Ten cor- nerback during his playing career from 2009-12. He succeeds Knowles, who left for Tennessee after just one season with the Lions. While on the West Coast, Lynn took UCLA's defense to new heights, then he headed across town to elevate a Trojans defense that had been struggling badly under Lincoln Riley. USC ranked No. 119 in the FBS in total defense in 2023 2 2 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 6 THE LIONS' THE LIONS' NEW LEADERS NEW LEADERS A reconfigured coaching staff takes charge of the Penn State football program G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M Former Penn State cornerback D'Anton Lynn spent the past two seasons as defensive coordinator at USC before joining the Nittany Lions' staff in January. PHOTO COURTESY USC ATHLETICS