With the season only a little more than a week away, Matt Campbell’s Penn State group is still squeezing value out of every fall camp rep in State College. Tuesday’s morning practice gave Campbell another chance to sort through a roster that is getting healthier, to explain how he plans to handle captain selections, and to revisit why Brock Riker was such an appealing portal addition.
The injury picture is starting to clear in spots. Campbell praised the overall roster, but he also singled out Brett Eskildsen, who returned to practice Tuesday after an undisclosed injury.
Carson Hansen was back on the field as well after missing time on Aug. 17 with a short-term injury, according to Tyler Donohue of 247Sports. On defense, safety Jeremiah Cooper was in team reps Tuesday after spending the late stages of his ACL recovery working off to the side on his own.
Defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi also made his way back, if only “a little bit today.”
There are still players working back from bigger setbacks, including Cooper, Tony Rojas and Max Granville, while Anthony Donkoh is coming off a medical procedure that kept him out this spring. Even with those players easing back in, Campbell said the staff has not pulled back on installation.
“It was review from the spring and through the summer,” Campbell said. “But the reality of it is, who is really ready to help and really ready to compete? As we get these guys back, the challenge for us is getting them ready to be in game shape and see where we're at.”
Campbell also laid out how he wants to approach the captain process for the 2026 season. Rather than rush to a decision, he wants to wait until after this week of practices so he can see who has consistently met the program’s standard.
He pointed to the way the staff handled captains on a game-by-game basis in the past, including Rocco Becht, Caleb Bacon, Kooper Ebel, Jeremiah Cooper and others. Last season, multiple players drew meaningful support from teammates, which led to the rotating captain setup.
“I'd like to get through this week of practice and give the most clarity of who's practiced to the standard,” Campbell said. “Who's lived to the standard, who understands the standard of everything we're doing in our football program, and then try to make the best decision for the betterment of the team.”
He didn’t identify anyone by name Tuesday, but he did make it clear he likes the leadership he’s seeing from the senior group.
“The really good thing is the strength of our senior class that right now has done an unbelievable job leading,” Campbell said.
Campbell also spent time explaining why Brock Riker was one of the first players he pursued in the transfer portal. The former Texas State center checked a box Campbell values most: real game experience. Dom Rulli started in the Pinstripe Bowl, but Riker’s work as the Bobcats’ starter last year stood out.
“Not only his experience was positive, but the way he played,” Campbell said. “Then you research, man, he was great on the weightlifting team, he was a great wrestler. How he was built when he came, and we just felt like this guy's got a chance to be a really special football player.”
Riker has added more than 30 pounds since the offseason began and is now around 305 pounds, according to Campbell. The coach said Riker’s drive has also impressed him, especially the way he has attacked his development since arriving.
“The amount of time that guy puts into his craft has been great,” Campbell said. “It's being rewarded. He's surrounded by some pretty good players too, which helps him from a quarterback communication standpoint, two great guards that we think both those guys are tremendous players, but I think his growth has been pivotal.”
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