Weeks out from Penn State’s final football game of the 2025 season and interim head coach Terry Smith’s last time at the helm, he met with the media on Tuesday morning.
Smith discussed the challenges of navigating the postseason while losing players and coaches, plans for the next month and his early thoughts on the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson.
Here’s what he said.
Opt outs
Senior defensive tackle Zane Durant became Penn State’s first opt-out on Monday evening, choosing to declare for the upcoming NFL draft. When asked about other potential opt-outs, Smith said Durant is the only one he’s aware of, but didn’t dismiss the notion there could be more.
“Zane has meant a lot to what we’ve done defensively here at Penn State. He anchored our defensive line,” Smith said.
In addition to player departures, the Nittany Lions are operating with a skeleton staff with several coaches following former head coach James Franklin to Virginia Tech.
Smith reiterated the “next man up” mentality, saying they’ll put their “best team forward” when they face off against the Tigers on Dec. 27.
Familiar foe
Though Penn State’s history at the Pinstripe Bowl and against Clemson is limited, Smith has experienced both.
The Nittany Lions’ only previous appearance in the bowl came in 2014, a game Smith was on the sidelines for in his first season as the cornerbacks coach. Penn State defeated Boston College 31-30 in overtime to close out the year 7-6, the same record it’s eyeing this season.
Smith was also on the sidelines for the only previous matchup between the Nittany Lions and Tigers, a 35-10 loss in the 1987 Citrus Bowl, Smith’s redshirt season as a player.
“We’re on a three-game winning streak, just trying to figure out how to win a fourth game in a row,” Smith said. “So it’s a great opportunity between two great historic programs, Clemson University and Penn State University … for our guys, we’re super excited, and it’s just a tremendous opportunity to try to end this season on a high note.”
Meaningful bowl game
With the rise of the College Football Playoff, first at four teams and now at 12, non-playoff bowl games have become increasingly irrelevant.
Between players opting out to protect their health and/or draft stock to entire teams declining invites to participate, motivation to play in such games is at an all-time low.
However, Smith reiterated his excitement to participate, and outlined the benefits of playing in the Pinstripe Bowl.
“As ultimate competitors, the goal is always to win,” Smith said. “The momentum of a victory into your offseason helps your offseason workouts, your spring ball, and how you approach next season. So we’re looking forward to trying to gain that momentum and continue the momentum of a three-game winning streak.”
Though he didn’t directly mention it, accepting the bowl bid also provides the team an extra 15 practices, allowing valuable reps for younger players who will return next season.
The last dance
For Smith, who will remain on staff with a new four-year contract that makes him the highest-paid non-coordinator in college football, the bowl will be his last time as head man before Matt Campbell takes over.
When describing his time in the interim role, Smith called it the “greatest seven weeks of my coaching career.”
“The opportunity to represent my alma mater and sit at the very top of it to try to salvage a season that didn’t start off the way we wanted, it was a tremendous opportunity for me,” Smith said. “The message that I just gave our guys was, we want to keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s play ball.”
