More hires become official as Matt Campbell’s first Penn State staff takes shape
The edges of Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell’s inaugural staff are sharpening.
While the search for a running backs coach continues, Penn State’s updated staff directory on Thursday revealed a wave of additions—quiet moves that signal how Campbell intends to build, teach, and sustain his program.
Campbell focuses on continuity
Most of the new hires share a familiar thread. They followed Campbell from Iowa State, bringing with them not just strong résumés, but institutional knowledge of how his operation runs.
Ryan Gent — quality control assistant
Offensively, Ryan Gent joins as a quality control assistant after spending last season with Campbell in Ames. A former Cyclones player from 2009–2012, Gent has steadily climbed the coaching ladder, including a previous stop at Northwest Missouri State.
Jackson Scott-Brown — assist offensive line coach
Jackson Scott-Brown will assist offensive line coach Ryan Clanton. Scott-Brown spent the last two seasons as a graduate assistant at Iowa State after playing under Clanton at Northern Iowa—another example of Campbell prioritizing continuity and trust in the trenches.
Sam Seonbuchner — assistant offensive coordinator and tight ends coach
Sam Seonbuchner rounds out the offensive additions, assisting offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Taylor Mouser. An All-Big 12 performer during his playing career, Seonbuchner has been on Iowa State’s staff since 2022, transitioning from graduate assistant to quality control with a focus on the run game. His move to Penn State keeps him tied to a system he knows well.
Shawn Collins — quality control assistant
Defensively, Shawn Collins joins as a quality control assistant after working with Campbell since 2023, primarily with the passing game. Collins also brings experience from Wisconsin and Mount Union, his alma mater.
Beau Freyler — quality control defense
Former Cyclones standout Beau Freyler is another quality control addition. A two-time All-Big 12 nominee and team captain at defensive back, Freyler arrives with leadership credentials that translate beyond the stat sheet.
Rory Walling — assistant special teams coach
The final on-field addition is Rory Walling, who takes over as assistant special teams coach. Walling has been part of Iowa State’s special teams operation since 2022 and played for the Cyclones from 2017–2021.
Terry Smith — cornerback coach
Earlier in the week, Penn State finalized several cornerstone roles. Terry Smith returned to his familiar post coaching cornerbacks, while Deon Broomfield shifted to safeties. The program also made official the hires of Tyson Veidt as linebackers coach and Ikaika Malloe as defensive line coach. Program legend Dan Connor remains on staff as an assistant linebackers coach.
The structure is coming into view. The philosophy—rooted in familiarity, development, and alignment—is already clear.
Penn State’s coaching staff under Matt Campbell
- Matt Campbell, head coach
- Taylor Mouser, offensive coordinator/tight ends
- D’Anton Lynn, defensive coordinator
- Justin Lustig, special teams coordinator
- Terry Smith, associate head coach/cornerbacks
- Deon Broomfield, safeties/pass game coordinator
- Ryan Clanton, offensive line
- Ikaika Malloe, defensive line/run game coordinator
- Noah Pauley, wide receivers
- Jake Waters, quarterbacks
- Tyson Veidt, linebackers
- Dan Connor, linebackers
- Reid Kagy, strength and conditioning
- Derek Hoodjer, general manager
- Skip Brabenec, chief of staff
- Trent Slattenow, director of player personnel
- Jordan Lucas, assistant cornerbacks
- Trace McSorley, assistant quarterbacks
- Jackson Scott-Brown, assistant offensive line
- Sam Seonbuchner, assistant tight ends
- Allen Tucker, special teams analyst
- Rory Walling, assistant special teams
- Ryan Gent, offensive quality control
- Shawn Collins, defensive quality control
- Beau Freyler, defensive quality control
- Naz Oliver, recruiting coordinator
- Jack Griffith, recruiting assistant
- Jace Heacock, recruiting assistant
- Alan Zemaitis, recruiting coordinator for personnel
- Justin Cummings-Morrow, recruiting NIL operations
- Jalyn Baker, assistant strength and conditioning
- Lucas White, assistant strength and conditioning
- Brandon Pietrzyk, associate director of strength and conditioning
- Xavier Quigley, director of college scouting
- Joe Resendez, director of football sports medicine
Campbell’s staff is still incomplete—but it’s no longer undefined. Each addition tightens the vision, reinforcing a program being built deliberately, layer by layer.
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