Penn State’s latest miss on the recruiting trail puts the spotlight right back on the same question that keeps hanging over Matt Campbell: how does he build when the hidden gems are no longer hidden?
That’s the tension at the heart of Burch’s commitment to Notre Dame. Asa Burch, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound edge rusher from Warren, Ohio, is not some overlooked sleeper.
He’s a four-star prospect in the 2028 class and sits No. 85 nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was always one of the more recognizable names in the cycle, which is exactly why this one matters.
Campbell made his name finding players who slipped through the cracks in the Midwest and turning them into productive Power 4 pieces. At Iowa State, that formula worked because those recruits often stayed under the radar even after the Cyclones got involved.
At Penn State, the dynamic changes fast. Once Campbell and his staff enter the picture, more programs notice.
More people start paying attention. The easy steals get harder to keep quiet.
That’s why Burch is such a telling loss. He’s the kind of player Penn State has to land if it isn’t going to rely entirely on overlooked three-stars.
Campbell eventually has to win some of these bigger recruiting battles, and in this case, Notre Dame got the job done again. It’s a familiar result, and not a flattering one for Penn State.
The bigger issue is that Campbell can’t build a program at this level by only out-developing everyone. Finding undervalued talent is still a crucial part of the job, especially for teams trying to close the gap on the sport’s biggest spenders.
But that can’t be the whole plan. Other staffs are digging through the same rankings.
And now that Penn State isn’t running a 3-3-5 defense, the system looks a lot more like everybody else’s.
There’s also the reality of the transfer portal. Even if Campbell does uncover a developmental piece, there’s no guarantee that player stays long enough for the payoff to arrive. The old advantage can disappear before it ever matures.
If Penn State is going to meet the expectations attached to Campbell, the program has to start going toe-to-toe with schools like Notre Dame and Michigan. That’s the level of competition that comes with the job. It’s not Boston College, Syracuse, or Rutgers anymore, even if those are the kinds of teams this staff has been targeting as its main competition in flip season ahead of the early signing period for the 2027 class.
The 2027 class was never likely to be the one that solved everything. Campbell didn’t build those deep relationships with top-end prospects because he wasn’t recruiting in those waters before. But if he isn’t going to lean heavily on the portal to patch a talent-thin roster, then 2028 has to become a foundation class.
That’s why Burch’s decision stings, even with plenty of time left in the cycle. He’s one target, not the whole board.
And over a year remains before the 2028 signing period, so nothing is final. Burch could still move, and he could even slide in the Composite rankings.
But another loss to Notre Dame still lands the same way: it asks whether Campbell can land enough blue-chip talent to take Penn State to the next level.
For now, Penn State does have two four-stars in the 2028 class, both from Pennsylvania. That’s a solid start.
The problem is finishing strong, and right now the 2027 class is already stumbling after a few flip losses. With Burch off the board and more movement still ahead, 2028 could start taking on more damage sooner than expected.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Got A Scary Jack Ham Update
Penn State fans got a jolt before kickoff when Hall of Famer Jack Ham was hospitalized in Seattle after a medical emergency ahead of a Penn State game. Ham, who starred for the Nittany Lions before becoming a longtime Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, has remained a familiar presence around the program for years as a color commentator on Penn State football radio broadcasts.
Matt Campbell later offered a reassuring update, saying Ham is making great progress and remains in stable condition. For a fan base that has heard Hams voice and seen his connection to the program for so long, the news brought an immediate wave of concern, and then some relief as his condition improved. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Got Another Big NFL Reminder This Weekend
Former Penn State players kept popping up all over the NFL scoreboard in Week 9, another reminder of how much pro talent has come out of Happy Valley. Kaytron Allen chipped in on special teams for the Miami Dolphins with a 46-yard fake punt run and picked up his first career reception, while Saquon Barkley found the end zone for the Philadelphia Eagles. Elsewhere, Parker Washington hauled in a touchdown for the Jacksonville Jaguars, adding to a weekend that kept Penn State fans checking box scores well after the college games were over.
The biggest late-game swing came from Juwan Johnson, who caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime for the New Orleans Saints, while Dani Dennis-Sutton added tackles and a sack for the Green Bay Packers. It was the kind of scattered but steady showing that underscores how deep Penn States NFL footprint remains, with alumni contributing in every phase and at every level. For a fan base that tracks its former stars closely, this was one of those weekends that made the pro schedule feel a little like a reunion. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Bowl Projections Just Sparked A Travel Debate Among Fans
Penn States latest win pushed the Nittany Lions to five victories and put them within striking distance of bowl eligibility with three games left, which is exactly the point in the season when the projection chatter starts to heat up. National outlets have already begun slotting Penn State into a range of possible postseason destinations, with names like the Fenway Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Dukes Mayo Bowl and First Responder Bowl all showing up in the early guesses.
The travel conversation is part of the fun, but it is also a reminder of how much can still change before any real planning begins. Depending on how Penn State finishes, the matchup and location could shift along with it, and every projection remains speculative until bowl eligibility is officially secured. For fans, the next few weeks will decide not just whether there is a bowl trip, but what kind of trip it might turn into. [Read more 🡒]