Penn State’s first media day under Matt Campbell arrives with a long list of questions, and the biggest ones are clustered in the spots that usually decide whether a team comes together fast or spends August searching.
The Nittany Lions are only two practices into camp, but Friday morning in State College gives Campbell, his staff and the team’s most visible players a chance to lay out where things stand. For a program that has brought in 40 transfers for 2026 and a sizable coaching overhaul, the conversation is going to be about fit, roles and how quickly all those new pieces start to look like a football team.
Campbell said after spring that Penn State had made progress, but also that there was still plenty of room to grow. That makes August a sorting month as much as a development month. The coaching staff still has to answer some key depth-chart questions, including who backs up senior Carson Hansen at running back, who settles in at left tackle, whether any first-year players can crack the rotation and who sits behind starter Rocco Becht at quarterback.
Becht is one of the central figures in the whole operation. The Iowa State transfer arrives with 39 career starts and the kind of experience that can steady a team with a lot of moving parts.
He became the Cyclones’ starter in 2023 and has not missed a game since, even while playing through shoulder injuries in 2025. Penn State had him limited during spring work, but March and April were also a stretch when he made a point of building relationships and establishing himself as a leader with the offense.
That matters even more because the line in front of him is being rebuilt. Former Iowa State offensive line coach Ryan Clanton is now in charge of that unit, and Penn State is expected to roll out four new starters there. That kind of change does not usually snap into place overnight, so Becht’s comfort level with the rest of the offense could be one of the more important early indicators.
The good news for him is that he is not walking into camp alone. Hansen, who rushed for 952 yards last season, gives Penn State a proven backfield option.
Becht also has veteran tight ends Ben Brahmer, Andrew Rappleyea and Gabe Burkle, along with experienced receivers Brett Eskildsen and Chase Sowell. Hansen, Brahmer, Burkle, Eskildsen and Sowell all played with Becht at Iowa State, and that built-in familiarity should help Penn State early while the line and the broader offense sort themselves out.
On the defensive side, all eyes are on D’Anton Lynn and how he shapes the group. Lynn, who played defensive back for the late Joe Paterno from 2008 through 2011, comes back to Penn State with a strong reputation after building his coaching resume at the college and NFL levels. He earned national respect for the work he did helping rebuild the defenses at UCLA and USC, and now he steps in as Penn State’s fifth defensive coordinator in the last six seasons, following Brent Pry, Manny Diaz, Tom Allen and Jim Knowles.
One of the bigger tactical questions is how Lynn uses the defense’s hybrid athletes. That figure to be a major part of the conversation, especially with so much turnover around the program.
Penn State also has a second-year group that could matter a lot if it takes the next step. That list includes cornerbacks Daryus Dixson and Jahmir Joseph, edge rusher Yvan Kemajou, wide receiver Koby Howard and offensive tackles Malachi Goodman and Owen Aliciene. Their development, along with the impact of the transfers - many of them from Iowa State - will go a long way toward determining how far this team can go.
In Other News...
Penn States Coaching Wait Suddenly Feels Worth It
After the end of the 2025 season and the dismissal of James Franklin, Penn State took its time before settling on Matt Campbell as its next head football coach. The move immediately drew attention around college football, not just because of the change itself, but because Campbell arrives with a reputation for steady program building and a feel for the kind of roster he is inheriting. The Nittany Lions also have experienced players returning, which gives the new staff something real to work with instead of starting from scratch.
Kirk Herbstreit was among those who reacted strongly to the hire, praising it as an incredible decision and signaling real optimism about what Penn State can become under Campbell. For a fan base that had to sit through the uncertainty of the coaching search, that kind of outside approval only sharpens the intrigue. The bigger question now is how quickly Campbell can turn the fit everyone keeps talking about into results on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Camp Is Putting Two Key Depth Battles Into Focus
Penn States second fall camp practice offered an early look at a couple of roster races that could shape the depth chart before the opener. The receiver group had some bright moments, from Brett Eskildsens one-handed grab to strong showings by Zay Robinson and Koby Howard, while the quarterback room also started to sort itself out behind the starter. Redshirt freshman Alex Manske was among the most interesting names in the mix, taking second-team reps and flashing the kind of poise that can make a backup battle worth watching.
Up front, the defensive line rotation is still taking shape as the staff gets a first real look at its transfers and younger options. Ikenna Ezeogu and Armstrong Nnodim were among the players making an impression, and linebacker Caleb Bacon spent time working with the defensive ends as Penn State tries to cover for some inexperience in that area. It is still early, but camp already has the feel of a place where a few jobs are going to be earned the hard way. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Starting Point Guard Now Faces A Major Offseason Question
Penn State mens basketball is dealing with another offseason storyline after Jay Rodgers was charged with DUI and other misdemeanors following a late-night encounter with police in State College. According to the report, an officer saw Rodgers nearly cause a collision and later noted signs of impairment during a field sobriety test, leaving the program to navigate the kind of off-court issue that can linger well beyond the summer.
Rodgers also refused preliminary breath and blood tests, saying he had been instructed to do so by his parents and coach, while Penn State Athletics said its coaches do not advise student-athletes to refuse legal testing. The preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 9, and for now Rodgers remains part of the basketball program, even as the situation adds uncertainty to a roster already facing a major question heading into the fall. [Read more 🡒]