Matt Campbell Expects Penn State to Be 'Fully Healthy' for Training Camp

The Nittany Lions completed a productive summer in which getting healthy was a top priority.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht tosses a medicine ball during a relay race at the 23rd annual Lift for Life at Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

CHICAGO | Penn State coach Matt Campbell expects the Nittany Lions to be “fully healthy” when they begin training camp Aug. 5, a major step for a program that had about 30 players limited during spring drills.

Though Campbell said there’s still plenty “unknown” about the team, especially with those players who did not practice, he has enough film (or personal experience) with them to know what they can do.

“I'm not worried about what our football players can do as football players,” Campbell said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days. “I am continuing to [focus on] the unknown of, how will we respond when things get hard? Are we a great team? Do we have all those great factors that the great teams have, and the ability to continue to unify that?

"I'm really excited because I think fall camp brings so much of that out, and the fact that we are fully healthy, ready for fall camp, I think will be big for us to continue to move our team closer to where we need to be as the season comes fast and furious.”

Campbell addressed the injury and rehab progress of multiple players, including several expected starters who were limited last spring. But the most interesting news involved redshirt freshman quarterback Alex Manske, who Campbell said has been cleared after dealing with a “medical condition” earlier this year.

Campbell expects Manske to be ready to compete during fall camp for the backup role to Rocco Becht. Manske transferred to Penn State from Iowa State, where he was the highest-ranked recruit in the Cyclones 2025 class.

“Alex really got cleared right around the first of June,” Campbell said. “There was a process back, and by July 1, he was actually fully cleared for football. He's been throwing. He's had the opportunity to go through the majority of our summer program, and he will be ready to go and fully cleared as we start fall camp. So I think that is a monumental win because certainly we believe in what his talent level is.”

Campbell said that quarterback Rocco Becht, linebacker Tony Rojas and offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh, all of whom had spring limitations, will be ready for training camp. All three players, who represented Penn State in Chicago, said they’re full-go for camp.

Specifically regarding Rojas, who is returning from a torn ACL, and tight end Andrew Rappleyea, who was out for spring drills with a lower-body injury, Campbell said both are in a “great spot” for fall camp.  

“I feel like for us this has been a hugely positive offseason for us to get our guys healthy,” Campbell said. “I think we had a really good summer in terms of where we want to be.”

Key players on the mend

Penn State Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell watches a drill with linebacker Alex Tatsch (25) and Tony Rojas (13) at Holuba Hall. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

Campbell also talked about three players who missed were limited during spring drills in some form: safety Jeremiah Cooper, tight end Gabe Burkle and linebacker Alex Tatsch. 

Cooper and Burkle missed practice recovering from 2025 ACL injuries at Iowa State, while Tatsch was injured late in Penn State’s season. Campbell said that all three have a “target line” of playing in the Sept. 5 opener against Marshall. Burkle is a bit ahead of the other two in his rehab, Campbell said.

Cooper, Burkle and Tatsch will be key players for Penn State. Cooper is one of Penn State's most important players whom fans haven't seen yet. was a two-time all-Big 12 safety at Iowa State before getting injured early in the 2025 season. He could play corner and nickel as well as safety.

Tatsch was among Penn State’s most promising freshman linebackers last year, when he played in six games and made 14 tackles, and could figure into the rotation. 

“I know I've been really bullish [about Tatsch],” Campbell said. “When you study his practice film and you study his game reps, when he got the opportunity to get in the game, I have really huge confidence in what he has the ability to become. I think he’s got every tool and trait that greatness looks like: how he trains, how he’s worked his way back and what his ability to practice the sport of football behind the scenes looks like.”

Burkle’s return amplifies a tight end position that Campbell called probably the best on the team.

“I think if you really study Iowa State and you study Gabe Burkle, that guy was the best blocking tight end in the country and the best off-ball tight end. I think he became a real factor in the passing game for us. He's a guy that's got great hands. He's elite at the top of the route, he can certainly be a guy that, whether it's over the middle or vertically down the field is a real asset, and he has the ability to create gaps in the passing game.

“... So getting Gabe back as well, I think all three of those guys we’re probably more excited about than we thought. We were kind of on target where, is it going to be the Big Ten season that those guys would be ready for us? But now, I think all three of those guys have done such a great job, and a lot of them have done it together, that they're way ahead of the game.”

Iowa State Cyclones tight end Gabe Burkle (84) catches a pass against the South Dakota Coyotes at Jack Trice Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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