Penn State’s offense may find its identity in the tight end room this fall, and the early signs from camp suggest that’s exactly where the Nittany Lions want to lean.
The clearest glimpse came on the first day of fall camp, when Taylor Mouser reacted to Ben Brahmer’s work on the blocking sled like it was a game-changing snap. That moment mattered because it pointed to a bigger truth about Brahmer’s game: he’s already a dangerous pass-catcher, but the more he grows as a blocker, the higher Penn State’s offensive ceiling climbs.
That’s the plan in Mouser’s offense, where the tight ends are expected to be a major part of the foundation as Penn State chases the College Football Playoff in Matt Campbell’s first season as head coach. Campbell made that clear at Penn State’s local media day.
“Boy, I think we’d be disappointed if it’s not,” Campbell said about if 12 personnel will be the team’s home base this season. “You could challenge that 13 personnel could be the home base at times.
I just think one of the things that we’re really excited about [is] keeping Rapp home. It’s been great for us to see Rapp fully healthy.
I think this is the healthiest Andrew Rappleyea we’ve seen or got the ability to evaluate.
“... He’s twitchy, he’s a dynamic mover.
I’m excited about where he has the ability to continue to grow in this offense. Obviously Ben is a young man we’ve worked with the last three years.
We know what his high-end ability is. We think he’s super talented. ....
Man, when you talk about Gabe Burkle, those three guys on the top end, we feel really good about.”
Brahmer sits at the front of that group, with Rappleyea and Gabe Burkle not far behind. Both of those players are already strong blockers, and that’s a major piece of why this group matters so much.
For Mouser and Campbell, the tight ends aren’t just about catching passes or sealing edges in the run game. They’re about forcing defenses to make a choice.
When Penn State lines up in 12 personnel, the offense can become a puzzle. If a defense answers with a nickel look, that opens one path.
If it responds with a SAM linebacker, that opens another. Mouser explained how that can tilt the field.
“I think it gives your offense flexibility,” Mouser said. “I think, for us, in 12 personnel, we get to see: Are they going to play with a nickel?
Are they going to play with a SAM linebacker? Because if you’re playing - from a broad standpoint - if you’re going to play with a SAM linebacker, we should be able to get into empty in 12 personnel and be able to do some different things in the pass game.
And if you’re going to play with a smaller guy, on paper we should be able to run the ball a little bit better with our size. ... But I think 12 personnel, you get to force defenses to show their hand a little bit more.”
That versatility only works if the players embrace the dirty work, and this group has. Rappleyea’s edge shows up in the way he plays, while Brahmer has taken pride in the idea that Penn State’s base package can feature multiple tight ends at once.
“I just really like the fact that we can go out there and keep the defense guessing with two, three, or four tight ends out there,” Brahmer said. “They never know what’s going to happen, whether it’s going to be a run play or pass play.
We’ve got Gabe, Cooper (Alexander), Rap, [Brian Kortovich], and Finn Furmanek. We’re all able to block and catch, so we’re really versatile out there.
And fall camp has been great to see what it’s like with the receivers and us kind of meshing, and it’s been really, really fun to watch and fun to be a part of that whole group.”
The biggest question is health. Rappleyea and Burkle have both missed significant time in fall camp while working back from injuries. And while players like Alexander and Furmanek have earned preseason praise, there’s no mystery about the top three names in the room.
If they stay on the field, though, the group could become a real problem for defenses. Brahmer, Rappleyea and Burkle may not pile up gaudy individual numbers this season - though Brahmer could be the exception - but their value may show up in a much bigger way.
They could be the piece that pushes Penn State’s offense to another level.
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