Penn State’s defense looked awfully comfortable in D’Anton Lynn’s first game as coordinator, and the setup behind that performance might stay the same for a while.
Lynn directed the Nittany Lions from the coaching booth in last Saturday’s 45-0 win over Marshall at Beaver Stadium, and the result was as clean as it gets. Penn State held the Thundering Herd to 147 total yards and didn’t allow an explosive play.
Now comes Temple on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, and Lynn doesn’t sound eager to change locations inside Lincoln Financial Field.
He has good reasons for liking the booth. Lynn said he spent most of his NFL time upstairs while working for the New York Jets, Buffalo, Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore, and he trusted the coaches handling things on the field.
“I spent the majority of my time in the booth in the NFL, and I just felt like the coaches we had on the field, I trust all those guys,” said Lynn, who worked in the NFL for the New York Jets, Buffalo, Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore.
Even though he has called plays from the sideline before - he did so during his three seasons as defensive coordinator at USC in 2024 and 2025 and at UCLA in 2023 - Lynn experimented with both spots during camp.
“During camp, we had a couple different scrimmages, so I called some from the field, some from the booth,” Lynn said.
What he found was a clearer view of everything unfolding on the field.
“In between drives, you’re able to gather so much more information,” Lynn said.
That was enough for Penn State to give it a test in Week 1, and Lynn liked what he saw. So did the players.
“We wanted to try it out Week 1, I liked it, the players enjoyed it, so we’ll probably keep on doing it.”
In Other News...
Temple Heads To Penn State With One Problem Fans Will Notice
Temples trip to Penn State comes with a little more uncertainty than a normal September road test, starting up front where the Owls are already shorthanded. KC Keeler confirmed that starting left tackle Giakoby Hills will be out for six weeks, a significant blow to an offensive line that has to deal with one of the bigger fronts on the schedule.
The injury picture does not stop there, either. Starting tackle Kevin Terry and left guard Eric King are both game-time decisions, which leaves Temple waiting to see how much of its protection plan will be available by kickoff. The quarterback situation is still unsettled as well, with the Owls choosing between Jaxon Smolik and Ajani Sheppard for the starting job, adding another layer of uncertainty to a matchup that already looks demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Put Its Recruiting Board On Notice
Matt Campbells first game at Penn State doubled as a recruiting showcase, with multiple prospects from the 2027 through 2029 classes on hand. The guest list included current commits and a handful of targets the staff is still trying to bring into the fold, a reminder that big-game Saturdays in State College are as much about the future as the present.
Among the names in attendance were 5-star cornerback Nasir Richardson from the 2028 class and 4-star edge rusher DJ Dockery from the 2029 class, both the kind of young blue-chippers Penn State wants to keep circling. The staff also added to the board by extending an offer to 3-star defensive lineman McCoy Richardson, a prospect viewed as a possible flip from Wake Forest, leaving the rest of that recruiting picture to keep developing after the visit. [Read more 🡒]
DAnton Lynn Just Raised A Big Penn State Defense Question
Penn States secondary is already looking a little different as the season settles in, and DAnton Lynn made it clear why true freshman Josiah Zayas is getting first crack at cornerback. Lynn pointed to Zayas mental strength and steady development, a notable endorsement for a young player stepping into a demanding spot on a defense that is still sorting itself out.
Lynn also signaled that the scheme itself is going to keep evolving, with the staff planning to add complexity gradually rather than overload the group early. With Temple next on the road, he emphasized communication and preparation as the big keys, which leaves an obvious question hanging over the defense: how quickly can a young corner and a growing playbook handle the next test? [Read more 🡒]