While most of James Franklin’s assistants were shown the door, Terry Smith wasn’t shown the way out, not once Matt Campbell took over Penn State Nittany Lions football. But this doesn’t seem like a last-minute decision made just because of convenience, because they have actually known each other for around 15 years. As far as Smith goes, he is embracing this shift of power, maybe a little too enthusiastically.

According to FightOnState.com, Terry Smith’s role is different under Matt Campbell, and he is happy with the coaching transition. He is now clear with his duties and has enough flexibility compared to his role under Franklin’s staff.

“My role is not as demanding, and I actually like it,” Smith said, per Fight On State. “I can be normal at night. My associate role is different and bigger than [it was] under James. 

Coach Campbell has conversations with me about how he wants to do different things, and I’ll share my insight on certain things, and ultimately he has to make the final decision. James would ask me certain things, but it’s different under Matt. Everyone in the building knows that I’m the associate head coach. Under James, that wasn’t clear.”

Smith has been performing his assistant duties for Penn State for the past 12 years, since being hired by Franklin in 2014. While Smith remains heavily involved in recruiting, player development, and other routine tasks, it seems like the new work culture under Campbell convinced him in this short period.

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Upon being retained in the PSU staff, Campbell mentioned how keeping Smith at Penn State was ‘critically important’ for him. When Campbell served as the head coach at Toledo, Smith was Gateway High School’s head coach, and both were closely involved in the recruiting process and offseason camps.

“I would just say it was critically important for me to keep Terry,” Campbell said during his PSU introductory speech. “In my opinion, Terry and I have a great relationship from his days at (western Pa. high school) Gateway. I know what he’s about and what he stands for.” 

Additionally, Smith has developed into one of the most popular people at Penn State during his interim coaching days. His efforts in retaining the roster and helping the Nittany Lions finish the season with four straight wins earned him massive respect among players and fans. And it seems like Smith’s familiarity with Campbell and his increased popularity among the roster and fans gave him a unique view of himself, and he is now even getting accolades for it.

Terry Smith to receive PSFCA Hall of Fame

The Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coach Association (PSFCA) on February 02 announced Terry Smith and six other coaches as the Hall of Fame inductees for the 2026 class. The press release stated that the honor is awarded for their “decades of excellence, leadership, and a profound commitment to the development of student-athletes across the Commonwealth.”

Smith became a popular identity across the country this past season after he took over the Penn State interim coaching role. He guided the Nittany Lions to a 4-3 record, including a Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson. It wasn’t the outlook the Nittany Lions expected, but it was good enough to reach the bowl game with a 6-6 finish to the regular season.

Additionally, his commitment to Pennsylvania football stands out, and he spent his entire coaching career within the state. He served as an assistant at Penn State for 12 years, after 11 seasons with Gators high school HC, 3 seasons with Duquesne College, and one season with Hempfield High School. It’s a big honor for Smith, and the induction ceremony will take place at the Cumberland Valley HS on May 24.