5 Key Takeaways From Penn State Coach Matt Campbell's USC Press Conference

Penn State football coach Matt Campbell built a theme around his Week 6 press conference ahead of Saturday's game against USC. The Nittany Lions need to find an identity. He meant this for every part of the team.

"The reality of it is, we lack an identity," Campbell said Tuesday. "We lack who we want to be and where we need to be."

Strong statement, and it wasn't the only ground Campbell covered at his weekly press conference. The coach addressed multiple topics, including his pitch to fans to attend Saturday's White Out, fo which tickets remain available. We'll start with an injury update.

The latest on Penn State receiver Koby Howard

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Koby Howard runs for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bulls. — Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Koby Howard runs for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bulls at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What Campbell said: "Koby is doing really good. He's not back yet. I think we're still a couple weeks away from getting Koby back. I think one thing that Koby brought was consistency. He was the guy that was consistently executing, and Chase [Sowell] is doing that I think right now at a really high rate and [Ben] Brahmer and some of those guys."

What Campbell meant: Don't expect to see Howard, who was injured against Buffalo, until at least the Oct. 31 game against Purdue. Howard, who still leads Penn State with 344 receiving yards despite playing three games, had referenced in a social media a planned return against Michigan.

Campbell seemed cool to that prospect, so Penn State likely won't have Howard against USC or Michigan. Sowell (19 catches, 264 yards) has been Penn State's most prolific receiver in Howard's absence, but the Nittany Lions still need a big-play receiver.

Their longest pass play in two games without Howard is 26 yards. Howard had five receptions longer than that in three games.

What's wrong with the run game?

Penn State Nittany Lions running back James Peoples (1) runs the ball against the Northwestern Wildcats. — Penn State Nittany Lions running back James Peoples (1) runs the ball against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at New Ryan Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What Campbell said: "You can't just pinpoint this group or this group or that group. The reality of it is, we lack an identity. We lack who we want to be and where we need to be. I think all of those things come back a little bit fundamentally, we're still not exactly where we need to be or want to be on the offensive line, whether that's at the receiver position, blocking in the run game, or at times our tailbacks in the run game. I think those things are real, and those are things that must get better.

"When that's not working, what it certainly does is it stresses the entire organism. You can't play a game situationally where you're playing in rhythm. Really for the last six quarters, we failed to do that really in all three phases of the game. I think that part of it obviously is frustrating, but it's a reality, and it's where we are right now."

What Campbell meant: Don't blame the running backs solely for this issue. Penn State gave up on the four-back rotation against Northwestern, primarily playing two, and that didn't help. The entire run-game operation is in stasis, beginning with the offensive line.

Guard Cooper Cousins said the lines need to have more "conviction," which means not only more physicality but also more commitment to the blocking scheme. Personnel wise, Penn State can't make any significant changes to the line, so this group is it. They simply need to carve the right assignment and get downfield on opposing defenses.

What does quarterback Rocco Becht need to work on?

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) looks to throw a pass against the Wisconsin Badgers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What Campbell said: "Rocco certainly needs to be better, and we can continue to pound away at that, and Rocco would be the first one to say it. But we need to be better with the other ten people around him too. We need to be better in our pass protection at times. We certainly need to be better in terms of our run game.

"The lack of consistency around Rocco is certainly putting the spotlight on Rocco's ability or inability and ties to play with consistency as well. I think the biggest thing is that goes to a global approach to this as well, we have to do a better job of having consistency of those other ten players so we can get him into a rhythm so he can play with great consistency, and we haven't been able to do that."

"Obviously that is frustrating. It goes back to the identity of our football team, or lack thereof right now, of having the identity we want to have and expect to have, and we have to work really hard to get back right now."

What Campbell meant: This was a revealing answer. Becht is in a rough two-game stretch, with a 54.3-percent completion rate against Big Ten teams and a 5.1 yards-per-attempt average. The offense has been inert because Becht has had trouble hitting receivers.

But Campbell sought to alleviate some of the pressure from Becht by saying his offense needs to help get him into a rhythm. Which certainly is true. However, Becht's receivers and tight ends have done a solid job of getting open and catching the ball the past two games. Becht needs to be much better getting them the ball consistently.

Was the Big Ten transition steeper than Campbell thought?

Asked about Penn State's run-game struggles, Matt Campbell extended his answer team-wide.

"The reality of it is, we lack an identity."

🎥Penn State Athletics pic.twitter.com/dCWNjBFasu
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) October 6, 2026

What Campbell said: We know this is a physical conference. We played this conference many times during my past [at Iowa State]. ... I think the easy thing to say is, it a physical problem? Is it lack of physicality? I think some of that shows up when you're so inconsistent in some of the detail things it takes to play good football really in all three phases.

We'll see another really physical football team again this week. We've got great respect for the opponent that we play as well, but the reality of it is we have really good football players that have the ability. We have to do a better job of fundamentally and structurally to get our guys in the best position to be the most physical group they can be."

What Campbell meant: Despite going 3-6 against Iowa as Iowa State's head coach, he won't for a minute say the Big Ten is tougher than he expected. Or that it's too tough for him.

Campbell's pitch to fans this week

"Adversity was going to be a part of this," Penn State's Matt Campbell said, "and we are in it and we needed to be in it to be able to grow forward to be the team we want to become."

🎥Penn State Athletics pic.twitter.com/kyOIoaE2JW
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) October 6, 2026

What Campbell said: Every single person that has sprinted through our walls, even since Friday night coming off of that really tough plane ride home, understands what we represent. We've never cowered from it. We're not running from it, and we're not hiding from it. We have to be better. We want to grow forward, and we're going to demand to grow forward.

The reality is, it's going to happen. When that happens and how that happens, we're going to need everybody pulling in the same direction. We've got an unbelievable fan base. I'm grateful for it and really appreciative for them. The great thing is they've been with us from day one, and my guess is they've always been with program good days and tough days. So I'm really grateful to be in a program like that."

What Campbell meant: In channeling his predecessor in some ways, Campbell made the "Don't give up on us pitch" in his own personal way. The sentiment was genuine about his personal belief in building a winning program. That he's unsure when it will happen was an honest moment that he hopes fans will respect.

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