Matt Campbell isn’t looking to reinvent Penn State’s special teams. He’s looking to keep the good pieces in place.
At kicker, that starts with Ryan Barker, who is set to handle field goals again after a huge 2025 season. The redshirt junior made 18 of 19 attempts, setting a single-season program record, and he’ll also take care of extra points.
“I think he’s been the catalyst, him and Blaise Sokach-Minnick,” Campbell said Tuesday.
Sokach-Minnick, a redshirt senior, is expected to be the long snapper. Campbell pointed to the pair’s experience and composure in big moments.
“Both of those people have played meaningful snaps for Penn State, have been in critical moments,” Campbell continued.
“Both guys have shown veteran leadership in that room.”
Punting duties appear to be going to sophomore Nathan Tiyce, the Mississippi State transfer. Campbell said Tiyce has closed camp well and brings more than just a strong leg.
“Nathan Tiyce has had a really good finish to camp,” Campbell said of the ex-Bulldog, who averaged 39 yards on 12 punts in 2025.
“What does he do well? how do we put him in a great position to be successful?
“I think he’s got an extremely strong leg. He has the ability to do so many different things. We’ve been really proud of his progress through fall camp.
“He’s a guy that’s done it in games. It’s not like you’re asking a rookie to go out there and do it.”
The return game is still taking shape, but Campbell said wide receivers Koby Howard and Zay Robinson are the leading options to bring back kicks. Both are second-year players, and both have made an impression with the ball in their hands.
“I think in the return world it’s going to be really interesting,” Campbell said.
“We’ve had a bunch of guys back there, in terms of Koby Howard, Zay Robinson.
“Both of those guys have emerged as really exciting ball handlers, punt returners, certainly in the kick return game.”
Penn State also has some defensive help ready for the coverage units. Campbell and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig can lean on Audavion Collins and Zion Tracy, along with wideout Brett Eskildsen, in those roles.
“In the coverage units, I feel that’s one of the areas of great strength,” Campbell said.
“We have a lot of guys, (wideout) Brett Eskildsen, AC Collins, Zion Tracy, those are some early names of guys that have had elite reps covering punts and kicks.
“We’re excited about what those guys bring to the table, for sure.”
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Face A Beaver Stadium Travel Headache This Weekend
Penn State fans heading to Beaver Stadium this weekend are being urged to build extra time into their trip plans as PennDOT rolls out an updated 511PA website and mobile app for home-game travel information. The timing is no accident, with the upcoming matchup against Marshall arriving alongside a busy stretch of road work across the region that could make the usual drive to State College a lot less straightforward.
Construction zones and lane restrictions are in place on major routes through Centre, Clinton, Clearfield and Juniata counties, affecting highways many fans use to reach the stadium. PennDOT is steering drivers to check conditions before leaving and to keep an eye on the 511PA updates, since the changes are expected to ripple through game-day traffic well beyond the immediate area around Beaver Stadium. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Week 1 Test Just Got Easier At The Last Minute
Penn States opening-week scouting report on Marshall got a little lighter at the last minute, with the Thundering Herd losing a pair of roster pieces before the matchup. Cornerback Boogie Trotter and wide receiver Demarcus Lacey were removed from Marshalls roster ahead of the game, trimming some of the unknowns for the Nittany Lions as they prepare for their first test of the season.
The move comes after a court ruling Wednesday declared Trotter ineligible for a fifth year of college football, following the NCAAs successful stay against a previous nationwide injunction that had temporarily given him another year. For Penn State, the timing matters in more ways than one, since early-season preparation often hinges on what an opponent can actually put on the field rather than what it looked like on paper a few days earlier. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Campbell Just Showed Penn State How Aggressive He Wants To Be
Matt Campbells latest comments offered a useful glimpse into how he wants Penn State to operate when the margins tighten. The coach laid out a broad approach to game planning that puts real weight on offense, situational awareness and the kind of in-game adjustments that can swing a matchup in either direction. For a program that expects to live in big moments, the message was clear: preparation is about more than Xs and Os, it is about understanding when to press an advantage and when to let the game come to you.
Analytics are part of that equation, especially when fourth down decisions arrive and force a coach to weigh risk against reward. Campbell made it clear those numbers are a tool rather than a mandate, with game flow, momentum and experience still shaping the final call. It is the kind of balance that can define how aggressive a team looks on Saturdays, and Penn State will be watching closely to see how often that willingness turns into action when the pressure starts to build. [Read more 🡒]