4 Storylines I'm Watching Closely in Penn State's Week 1 Game vs. Marshall

The Nittany Lions have plenty to address in their opener vs. the Thundering Herd.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For Penn State coach Matt Campbell, Saturday will mark his first game at Beaver Stadium — as a coach, player, spectator, whatever. Campbell grew up around stories of Penn State football but has not been in the stadium on a live Saturday. So even he'll be affected.

"Sometimes I wear my emotions on my sleeve, which is not maybe my greatest quality," Campbell said. "I apologize for that early."

But once the chains start moving, Campbell will retreat to what he knows best: directing a game. This is Campbell's 16th season as a head coach, and he has won 107 career games, so he knows how to handle a sideline. "My job as the head coach is to manage the rhythm of the football game," Campbell said.

That rhythm is what intrigues us. How will Penn State operate with 62 new players, including 40 transfers, and a depth chart full of former Iowa State Cyclones? These are the players and trends we'll be following when the Nittany Lions host the Thundering Herd at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Beaver Stadium.

What is OC Taylor Mouser's style?

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser answers questions during football media day in Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

First, Mouser is a blast. A former Division II defensive lineman, Mouser loves tight ends, NFL offseason studies, music trivia and golf. He began an April media availability with his Masters picks.

On Saturday, Mouser will demonstrate his offensive chops before an uncertain fan base at Beaver Stadium. He's Campbell's "rising star" coaching find, guiding a Big Ten offense for the first time, and packs a varied personnel toolkit to mold into multiple formtions.

Mouser's sets will feature four receivers, three (maybe four) tight ends, two backs and most likely a fullback somewhere. Rocco Becht called him a quarterback's dream. "He's not going to go out there and call a game scared," Becht said. "He's going to go out there and call a game to win."

If so, Mouser likely will lean on tight end Ben Brahmer, a quartet of running backs with varied skills and, most importantly, his fifth-year quarterback who has license to wave off pitches. If his offense is half as fun to watch as it is to hear about, Mouser will become a fan favorite.

Yes, the wide receivers

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Koby Howard gains yards after catch during the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at Yankee Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Receivers coach Kashif Moore, who took Mouser's cold call in February and was in State College a few days later, doesn't have PTSD about Penn State's receivers room. He was at UConn last year, coaching the program's first Biletnikoff Award finalist in Skyler Bell. He's confident he can get the same results at Penn State.

“This is an exciting challenge for me,” Moore said. “I’m an ultimate competitor, right? I have full confidence in my ability to coach and develop, and this is nothing new to me. This is also a narrative that I walked into when I got to UConn.”

Penn State's coaching staff has raved about the receivers. Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith said they're faster than last year's group. Campbell and Mouser have MVP'd guys like Koby Howard and Zay Robinson.

Brett Eskildsen is Penn State's first wide receiver to make Bruce Feldman's college football "Freaks List." And Becht said he hopes to get Howard 1,000 yards receiving this year.

We saw the promise throughout training camp. We're also reserving judgment about the receivers until seeing them live Saturday.

Is Tony Rojas really back?

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas (13) and safety Marcus Neal (31) joke around during football media day in Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A healthy, full-strength Rojas is probably Penn State's most valulable defender. He can play traditional linebacker, blitz off the edge, cover tight ends and make interceptions; he had three in 2024, including a pick-6 vs. SMU in the playoff.

Rojas has said he feels like a brand, new linebacker this season, one who still has his former wheels. But he's also playing in a different system that will ask more of him. Further, he and middle linebacker Kooper Ebel need to find each other's rhythms quickly.

Rojas doesn't need to play a ton of snaps Saturday, and his non-conference step count should be limited. Penn State needs Rojas to be the linebacker he was during the first four games of 2025 before the injury.

How did the defensive line come together?

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Max Granville (18) arrives for football media day in Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

This also applies to the offensive line, whose five starters will spend more time together on the field. But Penn State didn't rebuild its offensive line from the ground up as it did on defense. Beyond losing 16 defensive linemen to the portal, Penn State also changed the line's ethos.

Defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn targeted size and experience at tackle in the portal. The two projected starters (Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams) played for him three years ago at UCLA. They're also 326 and 317 pounds, respectively. Fellow tackle Armstrong Nnodim (Oklahoma State) is 310.

Outside, Penn State now has five edge rushers who could rotate through, including former Iowa State linebacker Caleb Bacon. With Penn State going to a 4-2-5 defensive alignment, Bacon would have lost snaps at linebacker. Instead, Lynn can deploy his skills at the line of scrimmage that generated 9.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks last season.

We'll give Max Granville some time to find his game legs after missing last season, but the coaching staff believes he's ready now. As is sophomore Yvan Kemajou, while Iowa State transfer Ikenna Ezeogu is a 275-pound end who will play across the line. Colorado transfer Alex McPherson should get into the rotation as well.

During the spring, defensive line was a position that need a lot of reconstruction. Lynn and assistants Ikaika Malloe and Chrstian Smith performed that work. They should get results from it.

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