5 Position Battles That Will Define Penn State Football's 2026 Season

The Nittany Lions will begin training camp in August with plenty to sort.

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen (21) runs with the ball during the Blue-White Spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Despite completely overhauling the Penn State football roster, Matt Campbell has a pretty good idea where his depth chart will align this season. The Nittany Lions' finished spring practice with a hierarchy on that depth chart, particularly on offense, where quarterback Rocco Becht leads an group that already has shaped a new identity.

But Penn State still enters training camp ready to stage multiple position battles before the season-opener Sept. 5 against Marshall at Beaver Stadium. We explored five of those duels, including a potentially key competition on special teams.

1. Running back

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen (21) runs with the ball during the Blue-White Spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State's backfield rotation will be fascinating to watch. Carson Hansen, Iowa State's leading rusher last season, should be the starter in Week 1 vs. the Thundering Herd. He's a veteran in Campbell's offense and was highly productive last season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

However, Hansen is competing for the season-long starting role beyond the Marshall game. And James Peoples and Quinton Martin Jr. will make him work for it. Campbell said Peoples and Martin were two of the most impressive offensive players during spring drills.

Peoples, an Ohio State transfer, looks the part at 5-10, 210 pounds. And Martin added weight, per Campbell's request, to become more forceful and durable. Campbell used two backs last season at Iowa State. Abu Sama III, now at Wisconsin, rushed for 732 yards on 140 carries alongside Hansen.

The Nittany Lions will use multiple backs in their power run game. Peoples and Martin, however, could upgrade themselves from rotational to lead roles with productive camps.

2. Defensive end

Penn State defensive end Max Granville talks with reporters during a media availability in State College. | Mark Wogenrich/Penn State on SI

Penn State lost seven defensive ends to the transfer portal and answered few questions during spring drills at its most uncertain position. Transfers Alexander McPherson (Colorado) and Ikenna Ezeogu (Iowa State) made strides, with Ezeogu being one of the team's under-the-radar transfers.

But there's otherwise little clarity on the edge. Max Granville returns with exceptional potential despite missing last season and spring drills. Campbell and defensive ends coach Christian Smith also see sophomore Yvan Kemajou earning a larger role in the rotation next season. LaVar Arrington II switched from linebacker to edge this offseason.

Currently, though, the Nittany Lions don't have an alpha edge rusher. So the competition to develop one will ring through camp. Even true freshman Elijah Reeder has a chance to earn playing time.

3. Defensive tackle

UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Siale Taupaki during the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Rose Bowl. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Let's just call the whole defensive line a question mark. Penn State will be transfer-heavy at tackle, where Oklahoma State transfer Armstrong Nnodim might have been the spring defensive MVP. Teammates described Nnodim as "nasty" and a "freak" who was difficult to contain. He's also fond of trash talk, an attitude Penn State's offensive linemen particularly appreciated.

In addition to the seven edge rushers who transferred, Penn State lost five tackles to the portal, notably potential starter Xavier Gilliam to Tennessee. Campbell responded by bringing in experienced tackles from UCLA (Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams) and Utah (Dallas Vakalahi) in addition to Nnodim.

But Taupaki, an eighth-year senior, and Williams were among those limited during spring drills, leaving the interior without a clear rotation. Those two tackles in particular will be centerpieces of training camp.

4. Linebacker

Penn State Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell (center) flanked by linebackers Alex Tatsch (25) and Tony Rojas (13) at practice at Holuba Hall. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State On SI

Tony Rojas returns as the defense's, and perhaps the team's, most pivotal player. Before his season-ending injury in 2025, Rojas made nearly 20 percent of his tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He's the kind of player around whom coordinator D'Anton Lynn can build a defense.

Though he'll be nearly a year past his torn ACL, Rojas still faces a climb back into the lineup, since he took only walkthrough reps during spring practice. Meanwhile, Campbell imported four linebackers from Iowa State, three of whom combined to make 174 tackles last season.

Kooper Ebel (77 tackles) and Caleb Bacon (68) also combined for 17.5 tackles for loss. They'll be tough to keep off the field. However, so will nickelback Zion Tracy, who will play multiple roles in Lynn's defense.

With Alex Tatsch also returning from injury, Penn State has five reliable linebackers and a potentially elite one. But they'll need a fall camp to sort it out.

5. Punter

Penn State Nittany Lions punter Nathan Tiyce punts the ball away during the Blue-White spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Last season, Gabriel Nwosu won the starting job over returning all-Big Ten punter Riley Thompson after making a major training-camp push. This year, a freshman could make that same challenge.

Lucas Tenbrock, a 6-7 punter and former offensive tackle from Illinois, was a two-time conference specialist of the year at St. Charles North High. He is a summer enrollee who will join the roster with an opportunity.

Penn State's lone punter on the spring roster was Nathan Tiyce, a sophomore who kicked in nine games at Mississippi State last season. Campbell brought in Tiyce from the portal but recruited Tenbrock, who has the higher upside. Expect the freshman to make a strong challenge for the position.

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