STATE COLLEGE - Penn State’s offense is still taking shape in preseason camp, but offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser didn’t hesitate when asked which players have stood out the most.
He pointed first to Iowa State transfer offensive lineman Trevor Buhr and receiver Zay Robinson, giving both rare preseason MVP-level praise as the Nittany Lions push toward the season opener against Marshall in less than two weeks in Beaver Stadium.
Buhr, a redshirt junior guard, drew the biggest compliment of all. Mouser called him a team MVP for the entire preseason, a nod to the kind of steady work that doesn’t always jump off the highlight reel but matters plenty when a line is being rebuilt around several new starters.
That group includes first-time starters Malachi Goodman at left tackle and Cooper Cousins at guard, Texas State transfer Brock Riker at center and Anthony Donko, who appears to have settled in at right tackle. Buhr has been one of the anchors in that mix. He started six games last season at Iowa State, did not allow a sack and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention.
“Just the consistency that he plays with," Mouser said. "He plays a very physically demanding position.
Him and (guard) Cooper Cousins are o-linemen who take pride in how violent and physical they can be. Trevor has done a good job of that, ..." and he’s consistent in pass pro every rep. doesn’t lose in pass pro, violent at the point of attack
Robinson has brought a different kind of value. He’s been one of the more explosive pieces in Penn State’s reworked receiver room, flashing big-play ability throughout spring and into the final stretch of camp. For the Iowa native, who played in only three games as a rookie, this feels like an important jump.
Mouser went even further after Saturday’s scrimmage in Beaver Stadium, calling Robinson the MVP of that session.
"He was phenomenal," Mouser said, noting how he produced the longest touchdown of preseason camp. "We move him around from the slot (position) to the outside.
He’s been our swing guy who plays tight end in our 10-personnel (sets) ... He can just bounce around.
“He’s a guy I challenged him after spring ball that you need to be better. Because he’s one of our most competitive guys.
And he rose to the challenge, and he’s done a good job of making contested catches in the middle of the field, out on the outside. I’ve just been impressed with his ability to turn himself into a pro with how he prepares every day."
Monday’s practice had plenty of other names drawing attention, too. Quarterbacks Rocco Becht and Alex Manske continued to look sharp both throwing and running.
Running backs Quinton Martin and James Peoples, the Ohio State transfer, got extended work as receivers in multiple offensive packages. The tight end group, which has dealt with its share of minor injuries and recoveries, kept uncovering more depth, with former walk-on Finn Furmanek and converted quarterback Peyton Falzone both earning positive reviews from their position coach and teammates.
On the other side of the ball, safety Jeremiah Cooper was given more hands-on work as he continues rehabbing an injury. Linebacker Tony Rojas also kept moving well as he works his way back from a September 2025 knee injury.
But the day belonged to Buhr and Robinson, the two under-the-radar players Mouser chose to spotlight as camp winds down.
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The challenge now is turning all that movement into something coherent before the games start to count. Campbells job is not just to install his own approach, but to make sure the newcomers and holdovers start functioning as one team, and the opener offers the first real glimpse of how close Penn State is to getting there. With a new era beginning and expectations already forming around the staffs ability to develop players, the early read on chemistry may matter almost as much as the result. [Read more 🡒]