LaVar Arrington II is finally on the verge of a return, but Penn State may be running out of healthy bodies fast enough that his comeback only tells part of the story.
Arrington was absent from the Nittany Lions’ Wednesday night availability report ahead of Saturday’s Week 9 game against Purdue, a sign he could be back after missing the first seven games of the season because of a knee injury suffered in fall camp and a “cleanup” surgery. It’s a welcome development for a defense that has spent the season searching for answers off the edge.
But the rest of the picture is less encouraging. Alexander McPherson, the Colorado transfer who led Penn State’s edge group in snaps against Michigan in Week 7, showed up as questionable. Yvan Kemajou, who is tied for first on the defense in QB pressures with Ikenna Ezeogu, was listed as probable.
Arrington’s return adds another name to a defensive end rotation that has been short on production all year. It also comes at a time when the group has already been hit hard elsewhere, most notably by the season-ending injury to Max Granville. Still, the sophomore has yet to play a defensive snap in his college career, and his first real role likely won’t be the kind of fix D’Anton Lynn is looking for.
Even with Arrington back in the mix, the most likely immediate use for him is on special teams. That means Penn State still has to live with the possibility that McPherson and Kemajou might not be available against the Boilermakers.
The bigger issue is that the Nittany Lions do not have much margin for error up front. McPherson’s jump to the top of the snap count at defensive end against Michigan was driven by the staff’s desperation to find any kind of pass rush. He did at least produce Penn State’s lone QB pressure in that game, but the broader problem remains unchanged: this defense is having a hard time getting near the quarterback.
That’s why the staff may have to keep experimenting with younger options as Arrington works back in. Jackson Ford, a true freshman, has not been part of the defensive end rotation so far, but there may be value in seeing what he can offer alongside Arrington.
McPherson, Kemajou and Ikenna Ezeogu are more in the mold of bigger pocket-pushers, which fits part of what Lynn wants. Still, there has to be some speed on the edge to threaten offensive tackles.
With Granville out, Penn State may need its younger homegrown players to supply that missing element, because the transfer additions have not solved the issue.
Arrington should be viewed with realistic expectations, though. He is coming off the injury, and at 220 pounds, he remains undersized for a defensive end by just about any standard.
The former linebacker still needs time to adjust to the position. Even so, his athletic frame should make him a useful piece on special teams, just as he was as a true freshman in 2025.
Depth remains the other looming concern. If McPherson and Kemajou are limited or unavailable, Penn State’s options get thin in a hurry. It is likely Kemajou can play, but beyond him, Ezeogu, Bacon and Ty Blanding - a 6-foot-1 defensive tackle who played the next-most snaps on the edge in Week 7 - underline how little depth there is on hand.
That shortage matters even more when you look at the availability report as a whole. Penn State listed 19 players for Purdue, while the Boilermakers had just four, with both teams coming off their only bye week of the season.
Campbell has not sounded like someone ready to launch a full youth movement simply to look ahead, but the injuries may force his hand. If the list keeps growing, the Nittany Lions may not have another choice.
In Other News...
Penn State May Have Finally Fixed One Defensive Problem
Penn State has spent much of the season sorting out its defensive personnel, and the latest move is another sign that the staff is still searching for the right mix. Head coach Matt Campbell said Marcus Neal Jr. has shifted from safety to off-ball linebacker, a move designed to add depth to a group that has been thinned by injuries and uneven play. At the same time, Zion Tracy has been moved back to safety to help steady that spot.
It is the kind of midseason adjustment that can tell you a lot about where a defense stands. The Nittany Lions have continued to tinker with roles as they try to patch together a more reliable structure, and these changes suggest the staff believes the answer may be less about adding bodies than putting the right ones in the right places. Whether the new alignment holds is the next question, but Penn State at least appears to be taking a more direct swing at one of its lingering issues. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Gets An Early Heavyweight Test Cael Sanderson Needed
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The bigger intrigue, though, may come at heavyweight, where Connor Mirasola is set to meet Wisconsins Braxton Amos in a matchup that gives Sanderson a clearer read on one of the lineups most important spots. Early-season exhibitions do not settle much on their own, but this one should offer Penn State a useful snapshot of where the roster is already sharp and where the coach still needs answers. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Finally Gets Linebacker Help Before A Suddenly Crucial Test
Penn State is shoring up the middle of its defense at just the right time, with Iowa State transfer Marcus Neal, Jr. moving from safety to linebacker to help ease the strain on a unit that has been stretched thin. Head coach Matt Campbell confirmed the switch, and it comes as the Nittany Lions continue leaning heavily on a linebacker group that has been built around only three main contributors.
Help is also on the way in the form of backup Cam Smith, who is expected to return after missing five games with an injury. The timing matters because Penn State is heading into a suddenly important test, and any added depth at linebacker could go a long way toward keeping the defense steady if the snaps start piling up again. [Read more 🡒]