Josiah Zayas has given Penn State something it has struggled to find much of this season: a defensive spark that arrives without warning and changes the mood of a game in an instant.
The unheralded true freshman has already authored two of the biggest plays in the Nittany Lions’ season, and after the bye, he has a chance to keep building his case as both the present and the future of Penn State’s young secondary.
That rise is even more striking because Zayas was not viewed as the headliner in the defensive backfield. Audavion Collins and Zion Tracy were supposed to lead that group, but Zayas has ended up at the center of nearly everything good the secondary has produced. If Penn State had cashed in on those moments, the record could look a lot different.
Against Wisconsin, Zayas jumped a Colton Joseph drive midway through the second quarter and took the interception 49 yards for a pick six, putting Penn State ahead 10-0 and helping the Nittany Lions build a 17-point halftime lead. Wisconsin answered in the second half and pulled out a 24-20 win.
Then came Michigan, where Zayas made the play of the year for Penn State so far. He ended the first half with an insane one-handed snag to protect a narrow 3-0 advantage. But the same frustrating script followed, and Penn State again saw a lead disappear in a 21-18 loss.
Now the second half of the season becomes a stretch for Penn State to salvage whatever positive it can from a season that has not gone the way the program wanted. Zayas would surely welcome more highlight-reel moments, especially in wins instead of losses. Even so, his impact has already made him one of the few bright spots on a team that entered the year expecting to compete.
And that’s what makes Zayas so intriguing. Right now, his biggest plays can feel like outliers. But a few years from now, they could be the kind of moments fans point back to as the beginning of something special.
In Other News...
Penn State May Have Finally Fixed One Defensive Problem
Penn State has spent much of the season shuffling pieces on defense, and the latest adjustment points to how much the staff is still trying to settle the middle of the unit. Head coach Matt Campbell said Marcus Neal Jr. has been moved from safety to off-ball linebacker, a move intended to add depth after injuries and some uneven play have thinned that group. It is the kind of in-season switch that can say as much about necessity as it does about development.
Zion Tracy is going the other direction, sliding to safety in an effort to steady that spot and give the defense a more workable rotation. The changes underscore how fluid Penn States personnel plan has been as the season has unfolded, with the staff continuing to tweak both roles and scheme to find a combination that holds up better week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Gets An Early Heavyweight Test Cael Sanderson Needed
The early-season calendar is giving Cael Sanderson exactly the kind of measuring stick he wants, with the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic set for Nov. 24 at Rec Hall. Penn State will put several of its biggest names on the mat in the showcase, including NCAA champion Josh Barr, national runners-up Shayne Van Ness and Rocco Welsh, and heavyweight Connor Mirasola.
For Sanderson, the appeal goes beyond the marquee matchups. The exhibition offers a useful first look at how Penn State stacks up in a live setting, especially at heavyweight, where Mirasola is slated to meet Wisconsins Braxton Amos. It is the sort of early test that can help clarify lineup decisions before the grind of the season really begins. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State's Quarterback Search Just Got More Pressing For Matt Campbell
Penn States quarterback pursuit in the 2027 class just got a little more complicated during the Week 8 bye, when Matt Campbell and his staff tried to make a late push for Braylen Warren. The four-star quarterback has been on Missouris board for a while, and the Tigers have been his commitment since December 2025, leaving Penn State to keep searching for a long-term answer under center.
The urgency is easy to see from Penn States side. The Nittany Lions still do not have a committed quarterback in the 2027 class after Will Wood decommitted, and Warren would have represented a major addition with the kind of production that made him such a sought-after prospect. Instead, Penn State is back in the market, and the next move in that search will matter plenty for a program still trying to lock down its future at the most important position on the field. [Read more 🡒]