Matt Campbell has taken a real hit to his Penn State coaching staff in an unexpected move before spring football

Penn State will be looking for a new position coach at a key spot on Matt Campbell’s coaching staff thanks to an NFL move.

Brandon Little — Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns News Writer
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Dan Rainville-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Penn State Nittany Lions have a new problem on their hands with Matt Campbell’s coaching staff. 

When Campbell became the head coach at Penn State, it was immediately apparent he was bringing a lot with him from Iowa State. One key assistant that Campbell brought with him to State College. 

Green Bay Packers poach key Penn State assistant under Matt Campbell 

Penn State is set to lose wide receivers coach Noah Pauley to the Green Bay Packers, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Pauley was a key assistant under Campbell at Penn State, and his track record was promising for what he could do with the wide receiver position there. 

Pauley is well regarded as one of the best up-and-coming assistants at the college level, so it’s no surprise that the NFL has come after him. The now-former Penn State assistant interviewed to be the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator last offseason. 

While at Iowa State, Pauley helped Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins both become 1,000-yard receivers and Day 2 NFL draft picks in 2025. The development Pauley displayed with his players at Iowa State was just a glimpse of what could have been possible at a place with more resources like Penn State. 

Pauley got his start as a Division II graduate assistant at Minnesota-Duluth, where he also played for four seasons. From 2019 to 2022, Pauley coached wide receivers at North Dakota State. Campbell has had Pauley on his staff since the 2023 season. 

Penn State now has a key staff opening to fill, and they just lost an important part of their player development. Campbell and Co. just received a new offseason task with Pauley’s promotion to the NFL. 

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