In a program reeling from a coaching circus and a leadership crisis, Penn State’s Terry Smith is stepping up to calm the waters. Despite being snubbed for the head coaching position, the former interim coach is more than ready to do damage control. Especially after AD Pat Kraft’s leaked video that left the new head coach, Matt Campbell, and the PR team literally in a nightmare. While safety King Mack clearly stated the issues, Smith is now retaking control of the narrative.

“Your best teams are always player-led,” says Terry Smith ahead of the Pinstripe Bowl game. “And when you have great leadership from within, it’s when your team has a chance to be championship caliber. I do think our returning leaders, King Mack, Anthony Donkoh, Tony Rojas, and there’s a list of guys that will be leaders for next year’s team.

I think we’re in great hands for next year, and the leadership will have a lot of accountability to each other. I think our growth from the second half of the season gives us momentum for what it should look like, and I think we’re going to be in good hands.”

This comes after one of Penn State’s darkest moments this season. Before the Nittany Lions played Rutgers in their final regular-season game, a group of about 10 players requested a meeting with Kraft to discuss the coaching search. The majority of the players were supporting interim coach Terry Smith to be promoted. AD Kraft, known for his passion and accessibility to athletes, agreed to what he called an “open and honest discussion.”

But the meeting included raw and pointed comments about Franklin, current Penn State players, and other Big Ten programs. Somehow, the audio from that meeting was leaked to a YouTube channel on December 4, just days before Campbell was officially announced as Penn State’s new coach.​ So, the chaos continued at PSU.

Penn State headed to the season opener against Nevada as the No. 2 preseason program. It had been going well for a while. But then came the White Out, a 24-30 loss from which Penn State never recovered. A 21-22 bitter loss to Northwestern got head coach James Franklin fired. And University Park turned upside down.

Although it returned to its winning way but it took time. A lot of time. But under Smith’s mentorship, the Nittany Lions sailed a smooth 3-0, after getting bitten by a six-game losing streak. The resurgence in the last three games is what’s painting a positive picture, as Smith puts it. At a time when the Nittany Lions are under a roster overhaul, Smith’s words carry more weight. It wasn’t just a locker room prep talk. But a reassuring promise to the Nittany Lions’ faithful, who felt betrayed by how the season turned out.

As of now, 17 of the 22 starters are heading towards either the league or the transfer portal; it’s up to the remaining players to re-stitch the winning culture. So far, safety King Mack (56 tackles), linebacker Tony Rajas (25 tackles), and offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh have all contributed immensely to Penn State’s turnaround. Now, under new head coach Matt Campbell, Penn State is looking for a reboot.

With that being said, Smith’s words are meant to soothe the 6-6 sting. However, will it do enough damage control for what King Mack reveals about the crackling tension straining the locker room walls?

“Lack of leadership,” King Mack gets blunt

The 2025 campaign saw University Park deal with more than broken hopes and incomplete dreams. And obviously, the locker room was taking detailed notes. It’s been a tumultuous year for Penn State football, which started the season ranked second in the Associated Press preseason poll. The fallout was immediate and embarrassing. Kraft publicly apologized during Campbell’s introductory press conference. He called the leak a “challenging” time for him personally.

Even Mack, the junior safety, didn’t mince words when speaking to the media. “Some lack of leadership, some lack of people buying in. Not having all 100 people locked in and focused on one thing at one time,” Mack explained. “It’s hard to be successful when people aren’t on one mission; Anything could have been said in that meeting that could have jeopardized anyone’s future or career.”

Top Stories

Another Almost Fatal Disaster Surfaces From Statesville Airport Amidst Ongoing Greg Biffle’s Crash Investigation

Tom Brady Hints at Nefarious Actions From Bears After Packers Lose Sideline Heaters

Prayers Pour In From Terrell Owens as 275lbs Former Cowboys Player Announces Major Health News

Tiger Woods & Charlie Woods Paid Special Homage by Annika Sorenstam’s Son at PNC Championship

NTSB Appeals for Greg Biffle’s Wife’s Alleged In-Flight Text Messages as Crash Investigation Heats Up

Josh Allen Makes Lifetime Buffalo Announcement as Pregnant Hailee Steinfeld Receives Bills QB’s Clear Family Plan

He made it clear that the leaked audio incident was a symptom of a much bigger problem. That breach of trust, Mack argued, perfectly illustrated why Penn State had a downfall. After James Franklin was fired. A confident Pat Kraft took his time finding a replacement; Partly due to his stringent selection criteria and partly because he had been snubbed by at least four head coaches. Even as the players backed Smith to take over, Kraft’s delay only drew frustrated looks.

Despite issuing a public apology, the damage was done. And now Smith’s is doing damage control.