More than half of Penn State’s roster will step into Beaver Stadium for the first time on Saturday, and that makes the opener against Marshall as much a test of composure as it is of talent.
New head coach Matt Campbell made clear this week that there’s still plenty for his team to sort out in real time. The crowd, the moment and the opponent all figure into that process.
Marshall is "going to put us in challenging situations. How do we respond to that?
How do we handle the crowd? How do we handle, man, our own ego, our own leadership?
What do these things look like from coaches and players?" Campbell said this week.
Those early challenges could come in the form of Marshall quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, a dual-threat playmaker who should give Penn State’s new defense some problems before the Nittany Lions settle in.
That said, the gap in talent and depth is still the story here. Even if the first half brings some noise and a few hiccups, Penn State looks built to take control as the game wears on.
Campbell said each of his top four running backs will see time running and catching behind a line that has shown steady growth. The expectation is that the ground game will become the hammer that breaks Marshall down, and it would not be a surprise if all four backs reach the end zone by the middle of the fourth quarter.
Up front, Penn State should have the edge on both sides of the ball. The Nittany Lions plan to lean on their oversized defensive line and an offensive front that has earned strong internal praise during camp. Offensive linemen Trevor Buhr and Cooper Cousins were both called team MVPs of preseason camp.
Cousins, a first-time starting guard, "made the most monumental growth ..." Campbell said.
"I think he's physically as dominant as I've seen him, at least from the videotape that I was able to watch a year ago, (and) what I watched in spring. I thought he had an unbelievable camp for us."
If Penn State wants to turn this into a long afternoon for Marshall, the running game and the tight ends could be central pieces. Ben Brahmer and Andrew Rappleyea both profile as tough covers for a defense that may struggle to hold up if the Lions choose to feature them.
Marshall may land a few early shots, but the expectation is that Penn State’s depth eventually takes over and the Thundering Herd fades under the pressure.
Penn State 41, Marshall 13
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Penn State fans heading to Beaver Stadium this weekend are being urged to build extra time into their trip, with PennDOT rolling out an enhanced 511PA website and mobile app to help drivers navigate game-day travel. The timing matters, too, because the home opener against Marshall arrives with several ongoing road projects on the routes most fans use to reach State College.
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Campbell made it clear the numbers are part of the process without taking over the process. He said analytics inform his decisions, but they do not dictate them, which leaves room for feel, experience and the rhythm of the game to matter just as much. For Penn State, that kind of balance may be the real takeaway: aggressive, informed and willing to trust the moment when the moment matters most. [Read more 🡒]