Cooper Cousins didn’t go shopping when Penn State’s season ended, and that choice says plenty about where he stands with the program.
The junior offensive lineman from Erie enters 2026 as one of the most important pieces on Penn State’s front. At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, he has already logged meaningful snaps at multiple spots, picked up starts and built the kind of reputation that matters in a locker room.
Cousins has been tied to Penn State for a long time. He committed as a sophomore in high school, and when the season wrapped up, he made it clear he never really saw himself anywhere else.
“I’m going to go to Penn State University. I’m going to get a degree from Penn State University. I’m going to play football at Penn State University,” Cousins said when discussing why he never seriously considered leaving.
That kind of buy-in matters, especially for a team in transition.
His first year on campus in 2024 came with plenty of attention. Cousins played in all 16 games as a true freshman, contributing on offense and special teams. He arrived with real buzz, earning true freshman preseason All-America recognition from 247Sports, ESPN and On3, and landing on the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year watch list.
He also got thrown into some of Penn State’s biggest offensive days that season. Against Kent State, the Nittany Lions piled up a school-record 718 yards of offense and 40 first downs.
Against Illinois, they ran for 239 yards and three touchdowns. At Purdue, Penn State rolled for 539 yards and didn’t give up a sack.
His workload grew in 2025. Cousins played in 12 games, made two starts and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. He also opened the season on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and was a Good Works Team nominee.
His first career start came at Ohio State. He was part of an offense that produced 465 yards against Villanova, 412 yards against Nebraska and a season-high 509 yards at Rutgers, where Kaytron Allen rushed for 226 yards.
Pro Football Focus credited Cousins with 177 offensive snaps in 2025. He posted a 67.5 overall blocking grade, along with a 66.6 run-blocking grade and a 65.8 pass-blocking grade. His strongest outing came in the bowl game against Clemson, when he played 78 snaps and earned a 69.7 overall grade.
What may matter most, though, is that Cousins can line up just about anywhere. He has game experience at center, right guard, left guard and left tackle. He said his focus heading into spring was likely on the right side, but he also made it clear he’ll go where Penn State needs him.
Before college, Cousins starred at McDowell High School for coach Brad Orlando. He was a three-year letterman, two-time team captain and three-time all-state selection. He also helped McDowell win district titles as a sophomore, junior and senior.
A consensus four-star recruit, Cousins was one of Pennsylvania’s top prospects. On3 ranked him No. 110 overall, No. 5 among interior offensive linemen and No. 3 in the state.
He’s no longer just a promising young lineman with upside. Penn State needs him now.
The Nittany Lions need stability, toughness and leadership up front, and Cousins has shown he can provide all three. The next step is turning that versatility and experience into a full-time role.
Penn State has had plenty of gifted offensive linemen.
Cousins has a real chance to become one of its anchors.
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Penn States place in the Big Ten has always come with big games, but not always with a clean, built-in rival the way some of its league neighbors have one circled every season. As the conference keeps shifting and the Nittany Lions continue to play meaningful games against the leagues heavyweights, the debate over which matchup truly fits as their defining Big Ten rivalry has started to feel a little more real.
Michigan State still has the most obvious historical hook thanks to the Land Grant Trophy, while Ohio State brings the kind of stage and history that can turn any annual meeting into something bigger. Nebraska belongs in the conversation too, even if the rivalry case is still more about recent familiarity and changing circumstances than decades of baggage. Penn State may not have a designated Week 14 enemy yet, but the ingredients are there for one of these games to grow into more than just another conference date. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Cleared A Massive Beaver Stadium Renovation Hurdle
Penn States Beaver Stadium renovation has cleared an important financial checkpoint, with the athletic department moving past its $134.3 million fundraising target and now sitting above $135 million. The project is already underway, and the school has made charitable giving a major piece of the plan, aiming to cover nearly 20% of the overall $700 million cost through donations.
The latest push comes as the stadium continues toward a major overhaul that is scheduled to be finished before the 2027 season. Penn State has not said exactly where the current total stands, but the milestone suggests the fundraising effort has real momentum as the Nittany Lions work through one of the most ambitious facility projects in the programs history. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Entered A New Money Grab Fans Will Notice
Penn State football is stepping into a new corner of the college sports business, joining the first U.S. rollout of fan token sales through a partnership with Socios and Playfly. The program puts the Nittany Lions in a small group of major schools testing a cryptocurrency-style model that is being marketed as a way to deepen fan engagement beyond the usual ticketing and merchandise playbook.
The tokens are being pitched as a gateway to exclusive experiences, voting rights on fan-focused decisions and other rewards tied to team loyalty, which is exactly the kind of concept athletic departments are hoping can turn attention into revenue. What Penn State has not yet spelled out is how those benefits will look in practice for its fans, leaving the idea intriguing for now even as the broader rollout starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]