Hiring Matt Campbell became a priority for the Nittany Lions after their disappointing 2025 season. His arrival was then followed by an active transfer portal in January, as he worked to strengthen the roster and bring the program back to glory. However, rebuilding necessitated more than just player transfers. Campbell needed the right coaching staff, and that call was answered by USC’s former defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn.

D’Anton Lynn arrived at Penn State after a two-year tenure at USC as the defensive coordinator. In 2025, the Trojans ranked second in the Big Ten in red-zone defense and third-down conversion defense, making his resume even more impressive. So it wasn’t shocking that Matt Campbell zeroed in on Lynn to be the next defensive coordinator at his new program. But it took a lot for Lynn to leave USC.

Campbell revealed that Lynn had “to financially give up some things” to come to Penn State, meaning he took a massive pay cut. It’s also worth noting that Lynn did not consider taking a new, high-paying job elsewhere. Instead, he chose to come to the Big Ten side, which finished 7-6 last season, and rebuild the program.

Speaking at the Signing Day press conference at Beaver Stadium, Campbell revealed that he had initially hoped to bring Jon Heacock with him as defensive coordinator at Penn State. The two had worked together for six seasons, building strong familiarity and trust. However, Heacock had already planned to retire following the 2025 season, forcing Campbell to explore other options and ultimately turn his focus to D’Anton Lynn.

“The first name that we came up with was Coach Lynn,” Campbell said. “From talking to some people that I have great respect for, even in-house, of some of our own coaches that had come with me, just felt like that was the number one target for the style of defense we wanted to play. For somebody who understood Penn State football, who wanted to be here, who wanted to be a part of this program, who had a passion for Penn State. I felt like that was critical.”

While Campbell did not disclose the exact pay cut Lynn accepted to join the Nittany Lions, he expressed clear gratitude for the sacrifice. Lynn’s decision showcases the program’s level of commitment as Penn State works to re-establish itself among the top programs in the conference. As that progress continues, Campbell also addressed the arrival of new quarterback Rocco Becht, who followed him to Penn State.

Matt Campbell on new arrival Rocco Becht

Matt Campbell addressed several key topics during his Signing Day press conference, ranging from the transfer portal to his transition into life at Penn State. He also spoke about new quarterback Rocco Becht, who followed him from his previous program, Iowa State.

“I believe Penn State football is integrity, character, class, excellence, and grit. He embodies every one of those traits,” Campbell said. “And so to me, I just felt like that was such a critical opportunity for him to finish his career with us, and the start of Penn State football, to get somebody that I truly believe embodies what the excellence of this football program stands for, both on and off the field.”

After working together for the past four seasons, Campbell knew the value of bringing Becht with him to his new program. He explained that a head coach and his quarterback must share a strong bond and operate in alignment, something he already has with Becht. Becht finished last season with a 60.5 percent completion rate, throwing for 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns. With those numbers, the Penn State faithful will place all their hope on him to lead the offense this season.