If Penn State is going to turn this thing around over the next couple of years, it'll start with doing a better job recruiting.
Head coach Matt Campbell has an opportunity to land some of the best players in the country if the NIL figures are anywhere near where they are expected to be, and what Pat Kraft has said they are, though there's still some confusion about what's really going on.
As for how Penn State will improve in the immediate future, most fans want it to go out and attack the transfer portal hard this offseason. From Penn State's perspective, it seems there's no other decision but to go out and make the necessary moves in the portal this year.
However, that doesn't mean Campbell and his staff can completely disregard high school recruits.
With Penn State on a bye week after losing to Michigan in Ann Arbor last Saturday, Campbell and his staff have a good opportunity to watch some of the country's best players this week.
Penn State's head coach said that's the plan he's taking. However, Campbell added that he has to take care of his own house first, suggesting he understands there are far more problems than high school recruiting right now.
“We’ll certainly be out a ton. You know I’m leaving today and will be out a bunch today, tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, and so will our staff,” Campbell said, per Onward State. “But I think it still can’t come at the cost of the team, and our team right now needs us to continue to grow itself forward.”
“You got to take care of your own house first, and then you got to do a great job of making sure you get out and spend the time and the energy that recruiting takes if you’re gonna do it right.”
There are a couple of different ways to look at how bad this season has gone for Penn State.
On the one hand, losing games at this level certainly hasn't been ideal. At the same time, we should also suggest that Campbell can be a better coach in the future once he brings in all his guys.
If this is year three or four and this is still a problem, we'll have far more problems, but for now, we need to give him some time.