Penn State’s left tackle situation already has a name attached to it, and the early returns on Malachi Goodman have people around the program talking big.
Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser has been on the 6-foot-6, 330-pound redshirt freshman since spring practice, and his view hasn’t softened one bit now that the regular season is rolling. Goodman, Penn State’s starting left tackle, has impressed Mouser with how he has handled the load and how steady he has been snap to snap.
“Malachi Goodman is one of the most talented guys I’ve ever seen,” Mouser said at the time.
That was Mouser’s assessment back in spring drills. On Tuesday, with two weeks of the season in the books, he sounded just as convinced.
“I’ve been really pleased with him, what we’ve put on his plate, his ability to play with a level of consistency,” Mouser said Tuesday when asked to evaluate the 6-foot-6, 330-pound Goodman.
“I think you’ve seen that guy get better with every snap and get better each week. I feel like he’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be, and he knows that.”
Goodman arrived at Penn State as one of the top prep players in New Jersey in the program’s 2025 recruiting class, and the buzz around him clearly wasn’t limited to State College. Buffalo coach Pete Lembo, who watched Goodman while serving as an assistant at South Carolina from 2021 to 2023, said Tuesday that the evaluation he made as a high school sophomore still holds up.
“Malachi Goodman is a guy from New Jersey that I remember when he was a sophomore in high school, and I thought this guy was going to be an NFL player,” Lembo said Tuesday.
“He certainly looks like it.”
Even with the talent and the early growth, Mouser said Goodman still has work ahead of him. The position asks a lot, and the emotional strain only rises from here.
“Dealing with some of the emotional tolls that come with playing that position for this team in this league, it’s only going to get harder,” Mouser said.
“(Goodman) has to get better at doing hard things.
“I’ve been really pleased with his attitude, effort, approach and the level of consistency that he’s had for being a young guy in this offense.”
In Other News...
Penn State Has A New Injury Worry Before Wisconsin
Penn State came out of its Week 3 win over Buffalo with a couple of fresh concerns, even if the immediate outlook sounds relatively manageable. Starting center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea both went down in the first half, briefly thinning out two spots the Nittany Lions would rather keep stable as the schedule tightens.
Head coach Matt Campbell called both players dinged up and said neither injury appears serious, adding that either one likely could have returned if the game had demanded it. Still, with Wisconsin next on the Big Ten slate, Penn State will be watching closely to make sure both are ready, because the margin for error gets a lot smaller once conference play starts to bite. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has A Tight End Concern Fans Know Too Well
Penn States passing game took a hit in Week 3 when Andrew Rappleyea left the Buffalo game in the first half with a right shoulder injury and did not return. The tight end room has been a point of emphasis in the offense, and losing a player in that spot can ripple through both the run game and the short passing game, especially early in the season when roles are still settling.
The good news for the Nittany Lions is that there is no shortage of options waiting behind him. Gabe Burkle, Benjamin Brahmer and Finn Furmanek are all available to absorb snaps and keep the position group moving, even as the team waits for more clarity on Rappleyeas status. Penn State could also be monitoring the health of starting center Brock Riker, who left the game earlier and did not return, though it is still unclear whether his exit was injury-related. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Found A New Playmaker Fans Will Be Talking About
Penn States 55-13 win over Buffalo at Beaver Stadium gave the Nittany Lions plenty to like beyond the final score, and one of the biggest takeaways was the emergence of Koby Howard as a new offensive spark. Howard found the end zone in more than one way, breaking loose for a 20-yard rushing touchdown and later turning a pass into a 70-yard receiving score, the kind of all-purpose burst that tends to stick with a fan base.
The supporting cast did its part, too, as Caleb Bacon and Yvan Kemajou helped set the tone defensively with tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Zay Robinson also added value in the return game with meaningful punt return yardage, giving Penn State another layer of field-position help in a game that looked comfortable but still offered a few fresh names worth watching as the season builds. [Read more 🡒]