Alex Tatsch’s name doesn’t come up as often as some of the more established linebackers in Penn State’s room, but his return is one of the more interesting developments of fall camp.
The Nittany Lions have long built a reputation at linebacker, and that tradition looks alive again under Matt Campbell. Kooper Ebel, Caleb Bacon and Cael Brezina all arrived with real experience, and Ebel appears lined up to start beside Tony Rojas in D’Anton Lynn’s 4-2-5 defense. That veteran group should handle most of the snaps at the second level.
Even so, Tatsch is the kind of player who can make the conversation more complicated. The sophomore missed spring and summer after getting hurt during bowl prep, but he is now close to 100 percent and Campbell has said he should be ready for game action sometime in September, with Marshall, Temple, Buffalo and Wisconsin opening the schedule.
During camp, Tatsch has been working individually, as Lions247’s Tyler Donohue captured this week, and he has drawn praise for what he has been doing in the film room. That comes on the heels of strong words last season from assistant linebacker coach Dan Connor, who said Tatsch reminded him most of himself.
That kind of comparison carries weight, and it makes sense when you look at how Tatsch handled his freshman season. The 2025 four-star recruit from Latrobe, PA, played in six games after missing much of his final high school season with injury, then earned his way onto the field late once Rojas went down. In 108 defensive snaps, he finished with 14 tackles and one pass breakup, and he looked comfortable enough in Big Ten action to keep his stock moving.
Before the injury, Tatsch had been trending toward becoming the future “green dot” linebacker for Penn State. The question now is whether the layoff changes that path at all.
Can he trust his lower body to play fast again? Will the instincts and physicality he showed in those freshman cameos still be there?
Those are the real unknowns.
The new five-in-five rule also changes the timeline around him. Since he played six games last season, he used up his final season of eligibility under the old rules, but now he has four more years available if he wants them.
The same change gave Ebel, an Iowa State transfer, an extra year, and he is now a fourth-year senior in 2026. Rojas would have gained another year too, but he redshirted last season after his injury and is currently a redshirt junior.
That means Tatsch may not be on a fast track to stardom, even with the upside that has people watching closely. He could still end up in the same spot on the depth chart in 2027 unless Rojas or Ebel heads to the NFL, or unless he forces his way past one of them. That won’t be easy.
For now, though, Tatsch remains an important piece in the program and a player worth tracking throughout camp. If the recovery keeps going the way it has, he has a real chance to make his case this season and shape where he fits in Campbell’s plan going forward.
In Other News...
Penn States O-Line Battle Just Got More Interesting Before The Opener
Penn States interior offensive line picture got a little clearer and a little more crowded as the season opener approaches, with Texas State transfer Brock Riker now expected to handle the center spot. The Nittany Lions have been sorting through several options inside, and veteran Dom Rulli, Cooper Cousins and Iowa State transfer Trevor Buhr all remain part of that mix as the staff lines up the best combination for the first game.
Buhr looks likely to begin at left guard, giving Penn State another experienced piece in a group that has been under the microscope throughout camp. He has already singled out offensive line coaches Ryan Clanton and Jackson Scott-Brown for the detailed teaching and preparation that have helped the group get ready, but the final shape of the starting five is still the part worth watching as kickoff gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Still Has Two Big Offensive Line Jobs Up For Grabs
Ryan Clantons first training camp as Penn States offensive line coach has already turned into a test of depth as much as technique. In the opening week, he talked about the group in terms of trust and versatility, saying he already has eight linemen he feels good about, with room for that number to grow as camp goes on. For a unit that has to hold up a new season from the middle outward, that matters, because the Nittany Lions are still sorting out who fits best where and how quickly the room can settle in.
The biggest questions remain at center and left guard, where the competition is still unfolding as practices stack up. Clanton also pointed to individual development and communication as important pieces of the puzzle, which is no small thing for an offensive line trying to build cohesion early in camp. The coming days should give a clearer picture of how the depth chart is taking shape, but for now Penn State still has meaningful jobs up for grabs up front. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Faces An Early Test With Coveted 2028 Commit
Deonte Flemings was supposed to be a long-range win for Penn State, the kind of early commitment that can help a staff build a class before the recruiting race really heats up. The Class of 2028 pledge committed early in his freshman year and has already made clear why the Nittany Lions stood out: he likes the coaching staff and the family-oriented way they have approached his recruitment.
Even so, the attention around Flemings is only going to grow from here, and Penn State knows it is dealing with a prospect whose profile can draw national interest as he keeps moving through high school. Flemings has said he plans to enjoy the process and make the best decision for himself and his family, which is exactly the kind of statement that keeps a commitment story open-ended for a program trying to hold on for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]