For the last five months, as construction cranes have swung steel beams and other fortifications into place at Beaver Stadium, Matt Campbell has undertaken a massive construction project of his own.
Campbell, who became Penn State’s football coach in December, has assembled an all-new staff and rebuilt a roster with new faces from all over the country.
By the time Penn State finishes the $700 million renovation of its massive stadium for the start of the season, Campbell believes the new-look Nittany Lions will be ready to compete and it will be thanks to a patient approach.
“I am a believer that you always start back over at square one and rebuild your way through it,” Campbell said. “I think, even as a head coach, you’re always self-reflecting on what went well, what didn’t go well? How do we be better, and what does this team need?”
After 12 years in which the Nittany Lions won just four of 25 games against AP Top 10 opponents, this program needed a refresh.
Former coach James Franklin was fired midway through the fall after the Nittany Lions quickly squandered a No. 2 preseason ranking with an 0-3 start to Big Ten play. Penn State finished 6-6 and beat Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl under interim coach Terry Smith.
Penn State took two months to find Franklin’s successor, rankling fans who just a year before watched their team come one game shy of playing for the national championship.
Now that spring practice is winding down, those who were here before feel like they’re starting anew.
“It’s a new year,” sophomore wide receiver Koby Howard said. “Forget about last year and whatever happened last year.”
Early-morning practices have replaced mid-afternoon sessions. Players have taken more time to get to know new teammates and position coaches. Former Nittany Lion greats Kerry Collins, Ki-Jana Carter and Kyle Brady from the program’s unbeaten 1994 team have visited and helped the current fresh faces of the program embrace its past.
Howard is one of 52 returnees who experienced last year’s doldrums and ensuing, emotional four-game winning streak with Smith to cap the season. Forty transfers and a class of true freshmen, 11 of which enrolled in time to partake in spring ball, fill out the roster.
Of those transfers, 24 followed Campbell from Iowa State including quarterback Rocco Becht. Campbell also brought in the Cyclones’ former offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and four other former assistants.
He’s also filled key positions with former Nittany Lion stars like defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who played for Joe Paterno. Fellow Paterno and Bill O’Brien era players Dan Connor, Jordan Hill, Alan Zemaitis and Jordan Lucas are in support roles.
“A lot’s the exact same, but a lot’s changed,” Lynn said.
They spent winter workouts establishing new nutrition habits and rebooting the strength and conditioning program. The last 14 spring practices have given them their first opportunity to install baseline schemes and see what each player can do individually.
“I do think aligning everybody, making sure we’re slow and right, right now,” Campbell said. “Where do drills go? Where does the offense go? Where does the defense go? All of those things are certainly unique and new. So slow and right is really the process for us.”
Becht, who was a three-year starter for Campbell in Ames, is the personification of that. He entered spring practice on the mend from shoulder surgery, but is expected to throw the ball in 7-on-7 drills in the stadium on Saturday.
It’ll be the first step for what comes later in the summer when the team reconvenes for training camp. By then, the Nittany Lions will have a better idea of how everything will fit together.
“The emphasis is how we’re going to do what we’re going to do. Putting in some baseline things on offense and defense so we can really evaluate your football team,” Campbell said. “Honestly, it’s been awesome for so many guys to get the foundation of what we’re going to do on both sides of the ball.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
