Penn State’s first fall camp under Matt Campbell opens with most of the roster already taking shape, thanks in large part to the massive influx of Iowa State arrivals that followed him to Happy Valley. But a few jobs still need to be settled, and those decisions could go a long way toward defining how Year 1 unfolds. The biggest ones sit on the offensive line, in the quarterback room, and off the edge on defense.
The clearest battle at the top of the list is left tackle. Former five-star Malachi Goodman has the pedigree, but he’s hardly running away with the job.
Owen Aliciene and Garrett Sexton are both back, and Campbell said at Big Ten Media Days that they’re pushing Goodman for the spot. None of the three bring much game experience to the table: Goodman didn’t play last season, Sexton logged only 22 snaps, and Aliciene got 31.
That makes this a tricky call, even if the buzz around Goodman has been strong.
There’s also a chance this one stretches beyond camp. Penn State opens with Marshall and then has three non-Power 4 non-conference games, which could give Campbell and offensive line coach Ryan Clanton room to sort it out in real time before Week 4 against Wisconsin.
Still, Goodman has the strongest recruiting profile and the most upside. He’s the pick here, even if the learning curve is steep.
Quarterback depth is another spot worth watching, even with Rocco Becht entrenched as the starter. The competition for QB2 comes down to Iowa State transfer Alex Manske and DIII transfer Connor Barry.
Penn State spent the spring without either of them fully available - Becht was recovering from surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, while Manske was back home in Iowa dealing with an undisclosed medical condition. That opened the door for Barry, a left-handed dual-threat and DIII national champion from Christopher Newport University, to take a heavy share of the reps in Taylor Mouser’s offense.
Barry’s case is real, but Campbell’s comments about Manske at Big Ten Media Days stood out. He called Manske’s return for fall camp a “monumental win,” and that kind of language carries weight.
Manske already played in four games as a true freshman last season, and the feeling around him suggests he may be viewed as the program’s future. If he beats out Barry for the backup role, that plan stays on track.
If not, Penn State may be looking at the transfer portal again next offseason. For now, the edge goes to Manske.
The most important competition, though, is at left tackle. That’s where Campbell’s first camp could really set the tone.
The battle among Goodman, Aliciene, and Sexton is still unsettled, and it’s the one that matters most because whoever wins will be protecting the edge with very little proven production behind him. Goodman sat out last season, while Aliciene and Sexton each logged only a handful of snaps.
It’s an inexperienced group across the board, which is why the conversation keeps circling back to Goodman’s talent and recruiting status.
Campbell and Clanton may not have to make the final call before the opener. With Marshall and two more non-Power 4 opponents on the schedule before Wisconsin, they have room to keep evaluating. But if Penn State is going to bet on upside, Goodman feels like the swing worth taking.
In Other News...
Penn State Fall Camp Opens With Two Huge Roster Fights
Fall camp opens Wednesday, and Penn States first real preseason work is arriving with a familiar kind of unease: a roster that still has several important jobs up for grabs. The Nittany Lions are a month from their opener against Marshall, and the early focus is already landing on depth and sorting out where the new pieces fit. Wide receiver is one of the biggest questions behind starters Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, while the running back room and a defensive line rotation full of fresh faces will be watched closely from the first practice on.
The backfield battle has the feel of a true camp-long competition, with Carson Hansen, James Peoples and Quinton Martin Jr. all in the mix for playing time. Up front, Penn State also has to see how returning players look after injury and how quickly the new front-seven additions settle into the rotation. By the time camp gets rolling, the Lions should have a much clearer sense of which areas are settled and which ones still need a late summer answer. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Edge Battle Could Shape The Defense Faster Than Expected
Preseason practices are underway for Penn State as it gets ready to open the football season against Marshall, and one of the more interesting position battles is taking shape on the edge. Alexander McPherson, a sophomore transfer from Colorado, is in the mix for playing time as a defensive end, joining a group that is still young and relatively inexperienced.
Matt Campbell has sounded upbeat about the way that room is developing, pointing to both the talent there and the competition pushing the group forward. For Penn State, that makes the edge spots one of the early camp stories worth watching, since the faster those players settle in, the sooner the defense can find its footing. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Enters Fall Camp With More Pressure Than Fans Wanted
Fall camp is arriving with a little more edge around Penn State than fans probably hoped for, because the questions are not limited to one spot on the depth chart. Defensive end, quarterback and left tackle all figure to be watched closely, and that makes the first weeks of practice feel less like a tune-up and more like an early sorting session for a team that wants clarity before the season starts.
There is some familiar help around the program, too, with head coach Matt Campbell bringing in Michael Mauti as director of football engagement and adding to a staff that already features several former Penn State players. Even so, the preseason outlook has been a mixed one, with Bill Connelly suggesting the Nittany Lions could have trouble even cracking the AP Top 25 despite a manageable schedule, while ESPN singled out quarterback Rocco Becht as the key X factor. [Read more 🡒]