Matt Campbell’s first major staffing decision at Penn State was always going to be closely watched. Instead of opening with stability and continuity, his transition has been met with early resistance, as the Nittany Lions now face the prospect of losing a key defensive figure during a critical reshaping period.

It is reported that South Carolina is expected to hire Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes as its defensive ends and outside linebackers coach. Several analysts, like Pete Thamel, have confirmed the same. The move would remove one of the most deeply rooted figures in Penn State’s defensive structure at a pivotal moment for the program.

While Barnes did not follow James Franklin to Virginia Tech, hope quietly built in Happy Valley. But that optimism did not pay off, as he is now headed to South Carolina to continue developing his defensive prowess with the Gamecocks. To cap it off, considering his long-standing connection to the Nittany Lions, the move comes as a shock for Campbell and Penn State.

Still, reality is reality, and Campbell may not find another coach who knows the program as intimately as Barnes.

For Barnes, Penn State is home. He wore the uniform for four seasons. Later, he returned as a graduate assistant, and then he rose to defensive ends coach. He’s been Penn State’s D-line coach for the past three years and has worked with the line there since 2020. Along the way, he helped mold elite talent, including future NFL first-rounders Chop Robinson and Abdul Carter.

Now, losing that level of talent already stings Campbell’s staff, but the blow only deepens with RBs coach Stan Drayton also set to join the Gamecocks this offseason.

The 54-year-old brings a long resume with him. He just worked one season with Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen at Penn State. He arrived in Happy Valley after a stint as Temple’s head coach from 2022 to 2024. Before that, Drayton built his reputation as an RBs coach in both CFB and the NFL, with stops at Texas, Florida, OSU, and the Chicago Bears.

While the losses keep piling up for Campbell’s staff and the sting continues to sharpen, they have only amplified Penn State’s staffing concerns, especially with the retirement of longtime Iowa State assistants. Now, the decision of veteran defensive coordinator Jon Heacock not to join Matt Campbell in Happy Valley only becomes a major absence for Penn State.

Campbell leaned heavily on his Iowa State ties to build his staff at his new home. But Heacock’s retirement removed one of his most trusted options. Now, the result leaves the new PSU head coach starting on the back foot as he works to stabilize his staff.

Matt Campbell’s woes only continue to grow

Losing key pieces to the SEC has already hurt, and now Jon Heacock’s retirement delivers another major blow to Matt Campbell.

Heacock ran Iowa State’s defense for a decade and was the mastermind behind it all, the architect of the 3–3–5 scheme that swept the Big 12. While he spent 10 seasons with Iowa State, he spent 12 years alongside Campbell overall, including two at Toledo before the move to Ames.

After a rocky first season at Iowa State, he flipped the script. While three down linemen clogged lanes, blockers got tied up, and the secondary played with discipline and vision. With that, it’s clear: Heacock didn’t just coach defenses; he evolved them.

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Now, as the coach retires after 43 years of coaching experience, gratitude follows.

“I’m so thankful, grateful, and blessed to have worked alongside some of the finest players, support staff members, and coaches in America,” wrote Heacock in a social media post. “I’m certainly thankful and grateful that God chose me to be the defensive coordinator at Iowa State University for 10 years. Ames, Iowa State, the team, and Cyclone Nation: Man, we all did some special stuff together! Thanks to you all!”

Still, it’s a big loss for Matt Campbell, whose new coaching journey may not start as expected.