Penn State’s second and final training-camp scrimmage is set for Saturday at Beaver Stadium, and the most obvious storyline coming out of practice isn’t the quarterbacks or the defense. It’s the tight ends - a group that keeps growing, keeps popping, and might be pushing the offense into some unusual territory.
Head coach Matt Campbell said after Thursday’s practice that the position has been the loudest part of camp.
"I think we’re super-excited about that group," Campbell said after practice Thursday. "If you said who has stuck out every practice, those guys have made awesome plays."
That enthusiasm has shown up in the roster shuffle, too. Penn State has moved freshman quarterback Peyton Falzone and redshirt junior defensive end Bobby Mears to tight end during camp, a clear sign of how heavily the staff is leaning into the position.
Some of that is necessity, with several tight ends working through injuries, including Iowa State transfers Gabe Burkle and Cooper Alexander. Even so, the number is hard to ignore: Penn State now has eight tight ends on the roster, and Campbell sounds willing to use all of them.
Junior Ben Brahmer, another Iowa State transfer, and returning tight end Andrew Rappleyea are expected to handle the bulk of the work in Penn State’s two-tight-end looks. Burkle, who is recovering from a 2025 ACL tear, has been brought along carefully in camp, though Campbell has called him the "best blocking tight end in the country," which hints at how the staff views his value when he’s ready.
There’s also a growing role for former walk-on Finn Furmanek, who is now on scholarship. Campbell said the 6-3, 257-pound tight end has stood out in recent practices, and offensive coordinator Mouser was even more direct about what he expects from him.
"He's a guy that's going to play a lot of football for us this year, and I don't think it's talked about enough," Mouser said. "And I love having him in the meeting every day."
With that many bodies at one spot, Campbell floated another possibility: bringing back the fullback.
The coaching staff also has its gameday setup sorted out. Mouser will call plays from the coaches’ box, just as he did at Iowa State, preferring the broader view from upstairs. Defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn is expected to work from the sideline, the same role he had last year at USC.
Campbell said he wants Lynn close enough to interact with players directly.
"D'Anton most likely [will be on the field]," Campbell said. "...
With iPads today, being down [on the field] and available, that's changed that thought process. The best teachers have got to be on the field to make the instant corrections with the players."
Campbell was also asked about the current wave of roster movement around college football, with some class of 2022 players trying to return - including some who have already signed with NFL teams. Penn State already has seen Josh Reed return to the men’s basketball team after suing the NCAA for his fifth year, but Campbell said he is not looking to add any late arrivals.
"We're not," he said. "We've got enough challenges as it is. We're just trying to create the best team we can right now internally and are really grateful for the guys we’ve got with us."
Among Penn State’s 2026 freshmen, two names keep surfacing. Receiver Amarion Jackson has been on the radar since spring, and cornerback Josiah Zayas has moved up the depth chart during camp. Campbell said Zayas has made an impact every day.
"He's made big plays every single practice that he’s been here," Campbell said of Zayas, who was part of Iowa State's 2026 class. "He had a great play in the scrimmage [last] Saturday, but every single day that guy has showed up.
He’s got this unique trait that he can do a lot of things. He can play corner, safety, nickel, and he’s a guy who’s a really, really talented football player."
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