After 8 weeks of below-the-Nittany-Lions standard football, Penn State decided to hire one of the certified Power 4 coaches, Matt Campbell, on December 5. According to insiders, the front office is offering some substantial financial incentives and perks to lure him to State College.

It’s an eight-year deal worth a huge $70.5 million, totally guaranteed through 2033. Penn State hooked him up with a base salary of between $7 million and $8 million, which he rightfully deserves every penny of.

The actual flex is the perks that came with his contract and job. The contract offers numerous appealing perks, including private jets and guaranteed payment.

Let’s discuss how this person plans to travel. Forget commercial flights. Campbell receives 55 hours of private jet use every year for his personal use. That’s a pretty sweet deal for family trips or quick getaways. On top of that, he doesn’t have to worry about cars. The university has already given him two courtesy vehicles to get around town.

The contract is also particularly astute in terms of performance and security. If the Nittany Lions make the College Football Playoff (CFP), his contract will automatically extend by one year, and he will receive a raise of at least $500k.

Additionally, if they go all the way and win the national title, that’s a two-year extension and a raise of a cool million bucks. In the same vein, if Penn State terminates his employment without just cause, it remains responsible for compensating him the full amount stipulated in his contract.

Of course, the deal goes both ways. If Campbell decides he wants to leave Penn State for another job, he’s going to owe the university a pretty penny. That amount starts at $10 million in 2026 and gradually decreases over the period.

He can also earn a substantial amount of extra cash through performance bonuses, such as $350k for a Big Ten title. Plus, a full million for winning the national championship. He even gets an extra million bucks just for sticking around every year!

Overall, this has to be the best contract a football coach has received this year, outside of Lane Kiffin’s, maybe. His contract essentially covers everything – better pay for his staff, support for player compensation through NIL, and additional funding for recruiting efforts.

The Nittany Lions mean business. The administration is ready to do whatever it takes to compete at the absolute highest level in college football.

But can they expect some kind of ROI in year 1 of the Campbell ball?

Matt Campbell’s 2026 Manifesto

Fans and experts alike are expecting great things now that Matt Campbell is in charge and the university is investing significant funds in the program. The general feeling is that they’re a pretty reasonable Big Ten contender right out of the gate.

With the portal opening soon, a lot of this hinges on Campbell’s ability to retain the current star players and utilize the big NIL budget to bring in even more talent. Campbell has his work cut out for him when it comes to recruiting, as the Lions are ranked extremely low at 125th in the nation with just two commits.

To compensate for this, Penn State should allocate $20-$25 million to the roster, including the portal.

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The hope is that under his leadership, the team will play with a new level of ‘win at all costs’ mentality. Matt Campbell’s known for his love for the process, so don’t expect him to go out and win it all in Year 1.

However, some insiders are already predicting they could win 8 or 9 games in his very first season. Athletic director Pat Kraft believes Campbell was hired as the guy who’s going to lead them to a national championship a few years down the line.