STATE COLLEGE - Penn State’s first training camp practice on Wednesday gave a clearer picture of where the Nittany Lions stand, and it started with the most encouraging news on the field: the quarterback room looked healthy.
Starter Rocco Becht and potential backup Alex Manske both took part without restrictions during nearly two hours of open practice at the Lasch Football Building fields. That matched the expectation around camp - Becht had already said he would have “no limitations” and coach Matt Campbell said Manske had been cleared in early July - but seeing both quarterbacks active still mattered as the team opened fall drills.
There were some absences, too. Projected starting safety Jeremiah Cooper was not in drills, though he was jogging on the sideline while working back from a 2025 ACL injury.
Linebacker Alex Tatsch and freshman wide receiver Ben Whitver were also on the sideline. Tatsch was hurt during Pinstripe Bowl practices.
Tight end Gabe Burkle, who was named to the Mackey Award watch list Wednesday, was present but not participating as he continues rehabbing from an ACL injury last season.
Campbell said at Big Ten Media Days that Cooper, Tatsch and Burkle all have a “target line” to be ready for the season opener against Marshall on Sept. 5.
At the same time, Penn State had several players back in action after missing spring work. Linebacker Tony Rojas, offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh and tight end Andrew Rappleyea all participated Wednesday. Rojas wore a sleeve on his left leg, and Rappleyea had one on his right.
The biggest early question on defense may be how Penn State handles its edge group. Caleb Bacon worked at defensive end instead of his usual linebacker spot, a move that fits with what Campbell hinted at during Big Ten Media Days, when he said Bacon could play edge as well as linebacker. At 6-4 and 242 pounds, Bacon could be part of a hybrid answer there.
Bacon worked with Max Granville, Yvan Kemajou and Alexander McPherson. Granville was back on the field after a season-ending injury last year, and Kemajou looked like the most explosive of the group, showing the best twitch and bend.
Running back was another spot worth watching. Carson Hansen handled most of the first-team work alongside Becht, but Quinton Martin Jr. may have made the strongest impression.
Martin drew praise from coaches and kept stacking successful reps in power-run drills, building on the breakout he had in the Pinstripe Bowl. Hansen’s experience and James Peoples’ potential still leave the race open, but Martin was the day’s clear standout in that room.
The offensive line competition is also not settled. Left tackle and center are the key spots to monitor through camp.
At center, Texas State transfer Brock Riker and redshirt senior Dominic Rulli split first-team reps, which suggests neither has separated yet. Malachi Goodman, a former 5-star recruit, looks like the leading option at left tackle, though Garrett Sexton and Owen Aliciene both mixed in with the first unit.
Becht looked comfortable directing the first-team offense during 7-on-7 work. He showed a strong feel for the field and delivered the right throws, including a deep shot to Chase Sowell in the end zone that was placed where only Sowell could make a play. Sowell dropped it.
Koby Howard also flashed throughout the session. He made multiple catches and moved around the formation, lining up in the slot, out wide and even in the backfield. That kind of usage suggests Penn State sees him as a versatile piece.
Behind Becht, the backup job is still up for grabs. Manske and Connor Barry both worked with the second team, so the pecking order behind the starter is not yet clear.
Defensively, the first unit used a 4-2-5 look, with Zion Tracy at nickelback and Rojas and Kooper Ebel at linebacker. That setup helps explain Bacon’s move to the defensive end room for position drills. With Cooper sidelined, Jamison Patton filled in at safety.
Rojas also stood out as a vocal presence for the defense. He broke up a Becht pass and fired up his teammates in the process.
Penn State returns to practice Thursday for Day 2 of camp, and the Nittany Lions open the 2026 season at home against Marshall on Sept. 5.
In Other News...
Penn State Opens Camp With One Big Offensive Stability Test
Penn State opened preseason camp under new head coach Matt Campbell with a roster that already looks very different from the one he inherited. Campbell arrived in December after 10 seasons at Iowa State, and the first days of practice have been as much about sorting out depth as installing the next phase of the program. With 40 transfers in the mix, there is no shortage of bodies to sort through, and the staff is taking a close look at key spots all over the field.
The most immediate question is whether the offense can find some stability behind the scenes, especially with a backup running back battle unfolding and young tackles and wide receivers being asked to grow up quickly. Quarterback Rocco Becht is participating in practice, and redshirt freshman Alex Manske is also back on the field, giving the staff more options as it tries to build a workable two-deep. For a team still taking shape under a new coach, those early camp reps may end up mattering just as much as the headline names. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Coaching Wait Suddenly Feels Worth It
Penn States long coaching search finally ended with a name that immediately shifted the mood around the program. After moving on from James Franklin following the 2025 season, the Nittany Lions landed Matt Campbell, and the reaction from around college football has been notably upbeat. Kirk Herbstreit was among those applauding the move, calling it an incredible decision and pointing to Campbell as the kind of coach who can give the program a fresh direction.
The fit is part of what makes the hire resonate in State College. Campbell arrives with a reputation for building tough, organized teams, and Penn State also has the kind of experienced roster that can help a new staff get traction quickly. The bigger question now is how fast all of that turns into results, but for a fan base that has waited through the uncertainty of a coaching change, the early signs around this one have been encouraging. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Has A Comeback Story That Could Lift Its Tight Ends
Andrew Rappleyeas path has already given Penn State an encouraging subplot at tight end, and it comes at a position the Nittany Lions could use as a steadying force. After emerging as a real factor in the passing game late in 2023, when he found the end zone multiple times, Rappleyeas momentum was interrupted by a season-ending injury in the 2024 opener. Still, his return to the rotation in 2025 showed why the staff had reason to be patient with a redshirt junior whose role had been trending up.
Rappleyea is now part of a deeper, more interesting picture heading into 2026, with Luke Reynolds and Khalil Dinkins already in the mix and Iowa State transfers Ben Brahmer and Gabe Burkle joining the competition. The result is a position battle that could push Penn State toward a stronger all-around tight end room, and Rappleyeas comeback gives that storyline a built-in edge. If he can keep building on what he showed before the injury, the Lions may have one more productive option in an offense that has room for it. [Read more 🡒]