Matt Campbell may be settling into a new job, but he’s doing it in a very familiar environment. Penn State’s roster is packed with people who know him well, and that familiarity showed up in a big way when the Nittany Lions opened the season.
The numbers around this group are hard to miss. Penn State’s 2025 roster includes 24 members of the Cyclones squad, and that connection reached deep into the season opener. On offense, defense and special teams, 20 Iowa State transfers were involved as Penn State rolled to a 45-0 win.
That influence wasn’t limited to depth or spot duty. Three of those transfers found the end zone, while plenty of others were in major roles across the field in their first Beaver Stadium game.
Starting senior quarterback Rocco Becht summed up what the move has meant for the group before preseason camp even got going.
"Bringing those guys over is something that's super special," Becht said entering preseason camp. "We're able to help the transition with other players, we're able to help lay that foundation that Coach Campbell wants to build.
Blending us in with the Penn State players that stayed, we all have that same mindset - we just want to win, no matter what it looks like. We're just a bunch of hard-nosed players going out there trying to win football games."
That mindset was easy to see in the opener, where the former Iowa State contingent wasn’t just present - it was central to how Penn State got the job done.
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 🡒]