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Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard fought back tears while talking about Matt Campbell leaving the school to take the head coaching job at Penn State.
Pollard, 60, said he was sad, but that Campbell owed Iowa State nothing.
“You’re sad. But you know what, I understand,” Pollard told reporters Friday. “I’ve been doing this long enough. This job is hard and we make sacrifices that fans will never understand. We understand that. And he had an incredible run as a football coach, and he didn’t get to do it in front of his family and friends. He had other times where he could have walked away, and he chose not to.”
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Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell reacts during the fourth quarter against BYU at Jack Trice Stadium. The game took place in Ames, Iowa on October 25, 2025. (IMAGINE)
“Matt Campbell, though, owes Iowa State nothing because he’s done more than any of us ever could have, ever dreamed of doing as a head coach. So yeah, a page is turning. But none of us are here forever. Life goes on, and so that’s the way I’ve just seen it. … the sun will rise in the east, like every morning, and we’ll move on.”
Penn State announced Campbell as its new head coach Friday, pending board approval Monday.
PENN STATE TO HIRE IOWA STATE’S MATT CAMPBELL AS NEXT HEAD COACH: REPORTS
Iowa State University athletic director Jamie Pollard speaks during a news conference in Ames, Iowa, September 24, 2019. (IMAGINE)
The 46-year-old is the winningest coach in Iowa State history. The three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year went 72-55 in 10 seasons with the Cyclones, with eight winning seasons, including this one at 8-4.
Campbell helped lead Iowa State to two Big 12 championship appearances.
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Before coaching at Iowa State, Campbell was the head coach at Toledo for five seasons, where he went 35-15.
Penn State hired Campbell nearly two months after the program fired James Franklin.
