Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545675
A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M K haki shorts, navy quarter-zip, sneakers, no socks, microphone in hand. Matt Campbell addressed his program's supporters, coaches, players and lettermen. The headliner for the fifth annual "We Are … At the Shore" event in Ava- lon, N.J., on June 22, Campbell stood before a crowd equally invested in Penn State football's future. The face of the program, he used the opportunity to make his priorities clear. Show, don't tell. Honor the past. And recognize the qualities that differenti- ate the Nittany Lions as a unique and leading program within the college football landscape. "I think the greatest thing is, we've got so many of our great former play- ers here tonight that have defined what the history of playing here at Penn State looked like, both individually and on some great teams," he said. "The last six months have been an incred- ible process, watching the young men behind me take the reins of this Penn State football program, unify, align, heal and bring us together as one foot- ball team, moving ourselves forward with great momentum. "What this group has done, how do you measure that? How do you feel that as the head football coach?" Through academic achievement, for starters. Campbell celebrated the team's 3.32 spring GPA, calling it the highest mark in Penn State football history and drawing an ovation. At a fundraising event intended to strengthen the program's war chest and the relationships with donors who help supply it, the choice was telling. How has progress been made in the past seven months? Through hard work in the classroom, in the community, in the weight room, and on the practice field. Two days later, Campbell traveled with the team by bus for two hours each way to Hershey for the program's annual summer visit to the Penn State Health Golisano Children's Hospital. In doing so, he practiced the commitment to the community he considers central to the program's identity. This is the Penn State football pro- gram as Matt Campbell wants it to be. It's the one he wants supporters to see and most important, believe in. "There are two types of people — people who are trying to be somebody and people who are trying to do some- thing," he said. "I've always felt like I'm probably more in the 'do something' category. And I think part of that is just being really comfortable with who you are and what you're about." Counting on their continued in- vestment in the program, Campbell has embraced the role. He has already introduced himself to donors, alumni and supporters at multiple public and private events. He understands it to be a critical component of the modern college football world, so he doesn't take it lightly. That doesn't mean he's entirely comfortable in the setting. Even now, Campbell admits he's not sure he's particularly adept at working a room. "I don't know if I know how," he said. "I feel like for me, it's always just about being authentically you. And whether you like it or not, that's just the only thing I really know how to do." The authenticity Campbell credits for much of his success remains central to his vision for Penn State football. The same blend of personality and leadership Campbell has worked to es- tablish inside the Lasch Building is what he hopes carries over at donor events and fundraising appearances. Whether that approach ultimately translates into fund- raising success, Campbell can't say yet. What he can promise, however, is that supporters will hear the same mes- sage his players and coaching colleagues do. He's already laid the foundation for the Nittany Lions this year and beyond by assembling the right players and coaches. Sustained success remains his stated goal. For Campbell, the fundraising pitch to donors is the same as the message deliv- ered inside the Lasch Building: build the right culture, invest in the right people, achieve excellence on and off the field. Show, don't tell. The results will speak for themselves. ■ Campbell has praised his players' offseason work, noting that the Nittany Lions are "moving ourselves forward with great momentum." PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS O P I N I O N NATE BAUER NATE.BAUER@ON3.COM HOT READ Matt Campbell's Nittany Lions Have Already Bought In