In an era defined by NIL, the Penn State football program is leveraging its players’ new earning power for a cause far bigger than the gridiron, and new head coach Matt Campbell is leading the charge. OL Cooper Cousins talked about stepping up while addressing reporters at the annual THON media availability at the Lasch Football Building, revealing that Campbell is giving his 100% to the cause. 

“We’re taking it so serious this year,” Cooper Cousins said. “Our team has started their own fundraiser. And whatever we raise, Coach Campbell will double it. It’s something special that not a lot of other places have. And I’m thankful that I’ve got to be a part of it over these past couple of years.”

What’s interesting is that this is a student-driven initiative. The idea came from redshirt sophomore DE Max Granville, who pitched it during a team meeting. He suggested players use their own NIL earnings to donate to a THON fund and created a team-specific donation link. Matt Campbell immediately committed to matching the total when the donation period closes.

“We have the capability to stick up for something bigger than ourselves right now,” Cousins said.

Penn State football has hosted its THON Explorers event for years. Players show Four Diamonds children around the facilities and take part in multiple activities. For instance, they play games, paint their faces, play with a football around, and spend an entire day focused on families fighting childhood cancer. It’s become a staple for the program.

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THON now tops $250 million in the fight against pediatric cancer to benefit Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital in Hershey. Last year alone, it announced a total of just over $17.7 million. We don’t yet know the fundraising goal or the current total for the new initiative from the football players. But it’s a huge step towards giving back to the community. 

“I think any time you get to make a difference on kids and impact their lives, you should just automatically take that opportunity,” he added. “There are kids out there that aren’t fortunate, and there are kids out there that are going through worse stuff than we’re going through right now.”

And that statement ties directly into the culture Matt Campbell is trying to build. This hands-on involvement is part of a much greater effort, as THON’s financial impact continues to grow each year.

A culture check for Matt Campbell

Matt Campbell has only been on campus for three months. But Saturday showed he already understands what THON means in Happy Valley. He and most of his assistants were there for the first time, and so were 55 newcomers getting their first real taste of Penn State culture. At the Lasch Building, he bounced from station to station all afternoon, signing shirts, taking pictures, shaking hands, and leading activities.

“The culture here that’s in place, the new culture that’s here with [Campbell], has been outstanding,” Cooper Cousins said.

For example, every Tuesday, players pack lunches for kids in the region. Then, they’d visit elementary schools to read to them and perform talent shows. And for returning standout OL Anthony Donkoh, it’s the perfect reality check for new faces.

“THON is the biggest thing that we do here at Penn State, and for them to get around it, get a taste of it and be in a setting where they see these families, it’s nice,” he said. “It’s the humbling aspect. Whatever you think you might go through in college is not gonna compare to what these people are going through on a daily basis.”

Matt Campbell’s stance is clear. In an era where NIL often sparks debates about greed and locker-room chemistry, Penn State is using it to write checks for kids battling cancer while their head coach is matching it dollar for dollar. And that’s where the heart of the Nittany Lion is.