Penn State head coach Matt Campbell made a critical move by poaching DC D’Anton Lynn out of USC. Last season, James Franklin hired Jim Knowles to fix the defense. The former was hired after a disappointing run, and the latter left the program at the end of the season. With Lynn, the Lions get another coach with a proven track record, but the head coach isn’t done yet. Campbell is looking to add another former alum to the coaching staff.

As per reports by FootballScoop, Campbell and Lynn have been aggressive in pursuing DeOn’Tae Pannell to join the Penn State staff as the defensive line coach. The decision to pursue Pannell, who is currently anchoring the Governors’ front at FCS Austin Peay, isn’t something that has come out of the blue.

D’Anton Lynn has a history with the former Nittany Lions player, having worked with him in 2023 during his time at UCLA. Pannell was a key player for Penn State from 2006 to 2008, having helped the unit power through the 2008 Big 10 championship.

Winning the trenches is the hallmark of any successful football team. In the 2025 season, that’s where Penn State struggled, especially on the D-line. In the 2024 season, the Lions conceded an average of 101.4 yards per game and 3.1 yards per attempt. That increased to 142.5 yards per game this season. Penn State allowed 4.1 yards every attempt. Even the third-down conversions the defense allowed increased to 40.1% from 37.2%.

This wasn’t down to a lack of talent, as some people may argue after players like Abdul Carter left for the pros. Lynn has already shown how he can improve a defense at USC. But he needs quality position coaches.

The championship grit is in DeOn’Tae Pannell’s DNA, as he stands as a reminder of the blue-collar ethos that defined Happy Valley under Joe Paterno. However, his value to Penn State runs deeper than just having alumni royalty. During his stint at UCLA as a defensive analyst under D’Anton Lynn, he dissected run games and pass rushes for the team.

D’Anton Lynn, on the other hand, is known for his aggressive 3-4 hybrid scheme, which Pannell is familiar with. His familiarity with this system, honed through taped sessions and practice reps in Westwood, signals seamless integration at Penn State. Meanwhile, adding a credible name to the coaching staff isn’t the only focus for the new Penn State head coach. Matt Campbell is also looking to make good use of the transfer portal.

Penn State head coach reportedly looking to add former Iowa State players

It wouldn’t be wrong to assume that Matt Campbell walked into Penn State during a messy situation, but he got his first bit of good news when reports came out that Anthony Donkoh was on his way for a return to Happy Valley. Now, new reports have surfaced about Campbell eyeing four former Iowa State players, which will allow him to use a good chunk of the budget on established names.

Matt Campbell spent over a decade at Iowa State, building a strong recruiting pipeline. That’s especially because of the time he spent in that program, building a sense of closeness with the players he worked with there. This closeness could be repaid in the coming days as he seeks to reshape Penn State.

For Matt Campbell, recruiting DeOn’Tae Pannell is bringing order to chaos in a post-James Franklin era. Will it pay off? That remains to be seen. In the meantime, let us know what you think in the comments down below.

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