Penn State Football 2026: A New Era, A New Identity Under Matt Campbell
Welcome to the Matt Campbell era in Happy Valley. And if the early signs are any indication, it’s not just a new head coach-it’s a full-blown overhaul.
Since arriving from Iowa State in December, Campbell has wasted no time reshaping the Penn State football program from top to bottom. The coaching staff?
Nearly all new. The roster?
Flipped in a big way, with a wave of familiar faces from Ames making the move to State College. It’s a bold reset for a program coming off a disappointing 6-6 regular season-and the question now is, how quickly can it all come together?
Let’s break down where things stand heading into 2026.
QB1: Rocco Becht Takes the Reins
The most important position on the field is already settled. Rocco Becht, Campbell’s former quarterback at Iowa State, is now the guy in blue and white.
Becht brings a resume that includes three years as a starter, nearly 10,000 career passing yards, and a steady hand under center. His 2025 season-2,584 yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine picks-wasn’t flashy, but it was solid.
And most importantly, it came in Campbell’s system.
That familiarity matters. Becht knows the offense, knows what Campbell expects, and knows how to manage a game. He’s not a dual-threat burner or a gunslinger, but he’s experienced, efficient, and capable of elevating a unit that lacked consistency last year.
New Look Offense, Same Core Principles
Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, another Iowa State transplant, takes over for Andy Kotelnicki. But if you’re expecting a wholesale change in scheme, pump the brakes. Mouser’s offense will look familiar to fans-still heavy on 12 personnel (think one running back, two tight ends), but with a few tweaks.
Where Kotelnicki leaned into pre-snap motion and misdirection, Mouser prefers a more straightforward approach. Expect more vertical shots downfield to stretch defenses and open space underneath for Becht to work. It’s not about reinventing the wheel-it’s about refining it.
Weapons in the Right Places
Becht won’t be going it alone. He’s bringing some key Cyclone playmakers with him, and they’re expected to make an immediate impact.
- Benjamin Brahmer (TE): A reliable target with size and soft hands, he’s likely to be a security blanket for Becht in the middle of the field.
- Chase Sowell & Brett Eskildsen (WRs): Both are poised to start and bring much-needed depth and route-running polish to a receiver room that struggled with separation last season.
- Carson Hansen (RB): He’ll be part of a three-headed backfield rotation alongside James Peoples and Quinton Martin Jr., giving Penn State a solid mix of power, speed, and versatility.
If the offensive line can hold up its end of the bargain-an area that’s been hit or miss in recent years-this group has a real shot to outperform last year’s unit. The pieces are there; now it’s about cohesion.
Defense: A Simplified, Streamlined Approach
On the other side of the ball, there’s been a philosophical shift.
Gone is Jim Knowles, whose complex scheme never quite clicked in 2025. In steps D’Anton Lynn, whose goal is to simplify things without sacrificing creativity. Expect a defense that still uses multiple looks and personnel packages, but with a clearer focus on execution and speed.
And the talent? It’s still there.
- Tony Rojas (LB): The heart of the defense, Rojas is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker who should thrive in a more streamlined system.
- Yvan Kemajou & Max Granville (DEs): Both bring pressure off the edge and could form a disruptive duo.
- Daryus Dixson (CB): A rising star in the secondary, Dixson is expected to take on a bigger role in coverage.
Transfer Help on Defense
Campbell didn’t just reload on offense-he brought some reinforcements on defense too.
- Marcus Neal Jr. & Jeremiah Cooper (S): Both are plug-and-play starters who bring range and physicality to the back end.
- Caleb Bacon (LB): Another Iowa State product, Bacon should slot in next to Rojas and bring stability to the second level.
- Alexander McPherson (DE, Colorado): A pass-rusher with upside who could rotate in immediately.
- Keanu Williams (DT, UCLA) & Dallas Vakalahi (DT, Utah): Both add size and depth inside, helping Penn State beef up a defensive line that needed more muscle against the run.
This front seven may not be flashy, but it’s bigger, stronger, and built to hold up over four quarters-especially in the Big Ten trenches.
Still Room to Add-But the Foundation Is Set
Could Penn State still make moves before the season? Sure.
There are still players in the portal, and National Signing Day in February could bring in a few more high school prospects. There’s even chatter about 2027 recruits reclassifying.
But the heavy lifting is done.
The coaching staff is in place. The key pieces on the roster have arrived. From here on out, it’s about fine-tuning and finding the right fits to round out the depth chart.
Ceiling and Floor: What’s the Outlook?
Let’s be real-this isn’t the most talented Penn State roster we’ve seen in recent years. But it might be one of the more cohesive ones, especially if the Iowa State imports hit the ground running.
The offense should be more consistent with Becht under center, and the defense has a chance to be better simply by being less complicated. Add in a relatively light 2026 schedule, and you’ve got a team that could easily reach eight wins-and possibly flirt with 10 if things break right.
That’s not a guarantee. There’s still a lot of newness, and chemistry takes time. But for a program that felt stuck in neutral last season, this feels like a fresh start with real upside.
The Matt Campbell era is officially underway. Now we wait to see just how far it can go.