Penn State’s bye week is going to be busy, and not just because of the on-field issues that come with a 3-4 start and no Big Ten wins.
The recruiting side took a hit over the weekend when Will Wood, the lone quarterback committed in Penn State’s 2027 class, backed off his pledge and picked Bill O’Brien’s Boston College Eagles instead. Even with that change, the Nittany Lions still have 21 commitments in the 2027 group.
With five Big Ten games left, starting with an Oct. 31 home game, Matt Campbell said Tuesday that this is the kind of week that should be used to lean hard into future roster building. That means not just the 2027 group, but even younger classes.
“Obviously I still think when you talk about this time of year, the high school recruiting piece of it, not only in the ’27 class, the ’28 class, the ’29 class, I think that’s where you can really sink your teeth into right now,” Campbell said.
He said the season’s early run has also given the staff a clearer picture of where the program stands and what it still needs.
“What’s been the greatest gift for all of us is, man, you’ve gotten these opportunities to play against some of these (teams). Know where you’re at, where you’re not at, and say, okay, how do we continue to make sure we’re bringing in the right football team to grow ourselves forward?”
Campbell made it clear the staff will be on the move this week.
“We’ll certainly be out a ton,” Campbell said.
“I’m leaving (Tuesday) and be out a bunch (Tuesday), tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, and so are our staff.”
Still, he drew a line between recruiting and the work that has to happen inside the building first.
“But I think it still can’t come at the cost of the team, and our team right now needs us to continue to grow itself forward,” Campbell continued.
“And I think you got to take care of your own house first, and then you got to do a great job of making sure you get out and spend the time, effort, and energy that recruiting takes if you’re going to do it right.”
In Other News...
Penn State Title Chase Now Hinges On Two Huge Lineup Decisions
Penn States path back into the center of the national title conversation is getting a boost at two key weights, with Cael Sanderson saying Tyler Kasak and Josh Barr are expected to be fully recovered and back in competition. Both wrestlers were injured at the U.S. Open in April, but each has now resumed hard work, giving the Nittany Lions added clarity as lineup planning starts to sharpen.
Kasak is projected to slot in at 157 pounds, while Barr is returning with the kind of expectations that go beyond simply filling a spot. For a program that measures seasons by March more than by anything else, those two decisions carry real weight, and Penn State now has to see how quickly both can settle back in and contend for top honors. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Quarterback Move Changes How Penn State Fans May View That Loss
Tommy Carr is in line to make his first career start for Michigan against Indiana after his effective relief work against Penn State, a move that should at least prompt a little rethinking in State College about the sting of that loss. Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham said the staff has settled on a starter, though he stopped short of naming Carr publicly, and also made clear he feels good about Carrs preparation and football IQ.
Bryce Underwood, who had been the starter before the change, is expected to stay on the sideline unless the Wolverines need him because of injury or performance issues. For Penn State, the bigger takeaway is less about who Michigan is starting next and more about what that quarterback decision says about how the Wolverines viewed the game Carr helped swing in relief. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Still Has One Big Football Problem As Other News Builds
Penn States winter sports calendar is already starting to fill in, with hockey announcing puck drop times for its upcoming Big Ten series against Minnesota. Around the same time, wrestling coach Cael Sanderson put a little more attention on a topic that could matter down the line, saying Levi Haines potential return this season depends on a nationwide NCAA eligibility ruling. It is the sort of crossover news that tends to pile up this time of year, even as football remains the program that drives most of the conversation.
The bigger football concern, though, still centers on the quarterback situation and the lack of clarity behind it. Matt Campbell praised Rocco Bechts performance, but he also made clear that Alex Manske is not yet ready to play, leaving the depth chart without much room for comfort if the position gets tested again. For a team trying to keep moving forward, that is the kind of detail that lingers long after the other updates have passed through the news cycle. [Read more 🡒]