Penn State spent the bye week tearing up its defensive script, and the version that showed up against Purdue looked a lot more like the aggressive unit fans expected.
That was a noticeable shift for a program with a long track record of producing pass rushers. Abdul Carter, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Odafe Oweh, Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac all came through State College in recent years, and James Franklin’s defenses were built on heat, pressure and disruption. Jim Knowles, Tom Allen, Manny Diaz and Brent Pry all leaned into that same idea, willing to live with some explosive plays if it meant forcing mistakes and creating turnovers.
D’Anton Lynn has taken a different route. His preference is a more controlled base defense, one that leans on four-man rushes and asks the secondary to handle the rest. The problem is that Penn State’s pass rush has been flat-out ineffective, and the bye week forced a rethink.
The personnel picture has changed dramatically, too. With the firing of James Franklin and the graduation of veteran defenders, Penn State rebuilt its defensive line for 2026. Five transfer tackles arrived in State College: UCLA’s Keanu Williams and Siale Taupaki, Utah’s Dallas Vakalahi, and freshmen Armstrong Nnodim from Oklahoma State and Alijah Carnell from Iowa State.
There were familiar faces in the mix, but not many. Max Granville was the top returnee at defensive end, though he suffered a season-ending injury in practice before the Temple game, the second straight year the Texas native has had a season-ending injury.
Ikenna Ezeogu, who came over with Matt Campbell and company from Iowa State, quickly became one of the team’s best edge threats. Yvan Kemajou stayed in the fold on the other side, and transfers Caleb Bacon and Alex McPherson added to a group that looks completely remade.
The coaching staff changed along with the roster. Deion Barnes had coached the defensive line for the previous three seasons, but Campbell split the job in two, bringing in Ikaika Malloe to coach the defensive tackles and Christian Smith to handle the defensive ends.
Campbell made clear what he wanted from the overhaul. In his opening press conference, he said, "We totally reshaped the d-line. I think my vision, our vision, [is to be] bigger and physical."
He also said, "To have two guys, one to coach the edges and one to coach the interior; we’ve got to be good up front, and we’ve got to do great things there."
But the results before Purdue were rough. Penn State had only nine sacks through seven games, a number that sat near the bottom of college football.
Tony Rojas had five of them, which meant the defensive line itself had barely made a dent. The rest came from Yvan Kemajou, Caleb Bacon, Kooper Ebel and Alex Tatsch, with Ebel and Tatsch both linebackers.
Only two sacks had come from defensive linemen, and before Purdue, Rojas was the only player with a sack in Big Ten play.
The lack of creativity up front has been a big reason why. Penn State has spent a lot of snaps in base defense, without many stunts or extra rushers, so the front is often trying to win straight-up against five or even six blockers.
That has also shown up in the run of play behind the line of scrimmage. Before Purdue, the Nittany Lions had 32.0 tackles for loss, another number that ranked near the bottom nationally.
And yet, despite the lack of pressure, the secondary has held up. Penn State entered after Purdue ranked third in the FBS in passer rating allowed at 100.1, a credit to Terry Smith’s work with the cornerbacks.
The bye week brought a different approach. Keanu Williams said the group had to confront what was happening after the Michigan and USC games.
"Really it was a mentality thing we had. The Michigan game and the [U]SC game were not the results we wanted, and going into the bye week, we were like, 'we could either fold, or we could do something about this.'"
He added, "Certain things changed, the plan that we had, certain things got adjusted on that end as well." Campbell said the staff used the break to dig into the details. "We really dug a mile deep, and it gave us some great tangible evidence of what are we doing when we are at our best."
Against Purdue, the adjustments showed up immediately. Lynn dialed up more pressure and more stunts, and Ryan Browne never looked comfortable. He finished 10 of 29 for 142 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
The numbers backed up the eye test. Penn State posted a 51.5% pass-rush win rate and generated pressure on 36.4% of Purdue’s dropbacks. The Nittany Lions still managed only one sack, by Kemajou, and three tackles for loss, but Browne was under constant stress.
The run defense held firm, too. Purdue was limited to 33 rushing yards, and the more aggressive front made Penn State look far closer to the disruptive defense it was supposed to be.
Now comes the next test in Seattle against Washington on Saturday. Demond Williams Jr. brings a dual-threat element that will force Penn State to stay disciplined, and a QB spy could be part of the answer if the rush gets home. The Nittany Lions will need to keep Williams contained and make him beat their corners from the pocket.
If the new-look pass rush shows up again, Washington’s offense could be in for a long afternoon.
In Other News...
Penn State Just Got A Bigger Problem For Washington Trip
Washingtons quarterback situation is suddenly worth watching closely heading into Penn States trip west, because Jedd Fisch said Demond Williams is expected to start if he feels healthy. Williams has dealt with injuries and uneven play throughout the 2026 season, but he also showed why Washington wants him back on the field when he returned late in a recent game and helped finish off a win.
For Penn State, that changes the shape of the matchup in a hurry. Williams has already been through enough this season to make his availability a real week-to-week question, yet his presence gives Washington a different ceiling and a more dangerous look than the backup plan would offer. The Nittany Lions will be preparing for the possibility that the Huskies get their quarterback back at close to full strength, even if the final call still hinges on how he feels before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Biggest Injury Concern Just Got More Interesting
Penn States injury report brought a little more clarity heading into its matchup with Washington, with left tackle Malachi Goodman and receiver Chase Sowell both listed as probable. Goodman has been a steady presence up front all season, starting all eight games and leading the Nittany Lions in offensive snaps, so his status matters well beyond one lineup note. Defensive tackle Armstrong Nnodim is also probable, giving the team a better look on both sides of the ball as the week moves along.
Koby Howard is the one name still worth watching, though, after being listed as questionable. For a Penn State offense that has leaned on continuity in the trenches and depth at receiver, the final call there could shape how the staff approaches its options against Washington. The update leaves the Nittany Lions in a better spot than they might have been, but not quite out of the woods yet. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Campbell Just Gave Penn State Fans A New Reason To Hope
Matt Campbells approach against Purdue offered Penn State fans something they have not seen enough of this season: a little more edge. The fake field goal was the kind of call that immediately changes the feel of a game, and it fit with a broader willingness to take chances instead of settling into the safer, more conservative script that had defined much of the year.
Campbell also showed he was willing to trust his offense in a spot where most coaches would think twice, going for it on fourth down from his own 28-yard line. For a fan base that has spent plenty of time waiting for the Nittany Lions to play with more conviction, those choices mattered, and they left a real question hanging over the rest of the season: was this a one-game shift, or the start of a bolder Penn State identity? [Read more 🡒]