Four Things We Learned From Week 1 of Penn State Football Camp

The Nittany Lions made plenty of headway through the first week of camp but still have questions.

Penn State Nittany Lions footballcoach Matt Campbell walks through a practice session inside Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For Penn State, training camp truly begins this week. The Nittany Lions were in full pads Wednesday for the first time, and now they'll truly get to know what head coach Matt Campbell means with his warning of a tough, physical camp.

The Iowa State players already know that, but the concept is a change for some of the returning Nittany Lions whose preseason hitting sessions were lighter last year. Now that Penn State has begun to hit, it's a good time to gauge what we learned from the first week of training camp. There were plenty of insights from around the program.

Penn State is going to throw deep

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht throws a pass during a spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through the open practices Penn State has held, it's clear that quarterback Rocco Becht revels in identifying single coverage outside and throwing deep. He did that in Practice 2 to receiver Brett Eskildsen, who made a one-handed catch. And backup quarterback Alex Manske launched a lovely ball to Zay Robinson for another big play.

As offensive lineman Cooper Cousins said during spring ball, Penn State will load its offensive identity on the run game but also intends to take frequent shots downfield. "And when we take our shots," Cousins said, "we're going to capitalize."

Penn State's offense ranked 12th in the Big Ten last season in completions of 20+ yards, so that will be a fresh approach if it happens.

The defense will rely on a handful of key versatile players

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas takes a break during the 23rd annual Lift for Life at Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

D'Anton Lynn quickly cultivated a reputation with the staff and players as a defensive coordinator who overstudies his group. He spent the spring and summer identifying every defensive player's traits and tendencies to put them in the best position on the field.

"He finds ways to put someone that at one position could be a handicap, and then move them to another position and all of a sudden, he's a gold mine," defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe said.

Four players are fitting that role early in camp. Penn State moved Caleb Bacon, a four-year linebacker at Iowa State, to defensive end, where it needed experience. Bacon played about half his snaps for the Cyclones last season near the line of scrimmage, so he understands the role.

Fellow Iowa State transfer Ikenna Ezeogu (6-5, 275) is a unique defensive line hybrid who will line up everywhere from over center to on the edge. The defensive staff has been thrilled with his progress.

Linebacker Tony Rojas will join the pass rush from his outside spot. He already is running nearly as fast as he did last year, landing him an upgrade on Bruce Feldman's college football "Freaks List."

And cornerback Zion Tracy will become Penn State's defensive Swiss army knife, playing everywhere from nickel to safety and incorporating a healthy dose of pass rush. Tracy is the kind of player Lynn loves to turn loose.

The offensive line is a work in progress

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive line coach Ryan Clanton watches a drill during a practice session inside Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Offensive line coach likes the parts he has at his position group. Now he has to distill them into a cohesive starting unit, which will take time.

Clanton has been cross-training linemen at multiple positions, notably at tackle, where Anthony Donkoh, the team's most veteran returning starter, has been playing on the left side as well as the right.

Donkoh and Cousins should be firm on the right side, and Iowa State transfer Trevor Buhr has left guard locked, but the other two spots are up for grabs. And left tackle remains the biggest concern.

Redshirt freshman Malachi Goodman had the edge exiting spring practice, but fellow returning linemen Garrett Sexton and Owen Aliciene have closed the gap. Sexton in particular is a player to watch at left tackle. He gained 20 pounds since spring and has been impressing Clanton with his strength, reach and movement.

Penn State looks pretty solid at the skill positions, notably tight end, but its offensive line is playing catch-up. The line will need the non-conference schedule to find its proper fit, rotation and groove.

Speaking of tight ends...

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Gabe Burkle walks through Holuba Hall for football media day. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tight end Gabe Burkle is slowly reintegrating to practice after missing spring drills as he recovered from a 2025 ACL tear at Iowa State. But Burkle, a fifth-year senior who was integral to Iowa State's offense, is among the coaching staff's most trusted players. He's under the radar only to Penn State fans who haven't seen him yet.

"He's the guy that cleans up the mess for us on offense," offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser said. "He's the guy that we give the hardest job to. The hardest guy to block, we have Gabe do it. If you watch him last year, when we needed a critical catch on 3rd-and-1, on 4th-and-1, we threw it to Gabe. He's the most trusted person that I've probably ever coached."

Mouser also trusts that Burkle will be ready for the season (likely Game 2 vs. Temple) even without a full complement of training camp reps.

"He's kind of similar to Donkoh," Mouser said. "You feel confident and calm when those guys are on the field because when it gets harder, those guys find a way to get better."

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