Penn State Football Mailbag: A 'Holistic' Look at the Nittany Lions' 3-0 Start

Penn State begins Big Ten play against Wisconsin with a better sense of self but still some unknowns.

Penn State Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell instructs his players before the game vs. the Buffalo Bulls at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Congratulations, you made it to Penn State football season. It took three preseason (or non-conference, thank James Franklin for the schedule) games to get here, but the Nittany Lions play their Big Ten opener Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Which also will serve as the most informative game of the season thus far.

The No. 13 Nittany Lions (too high? probably) host Wisconsin after winning their first three games by a combined 102 points. Penn State coach Matt Campbell thrives in navigating adversity, which his team hasn't truly confronted on the field yet. Perhaps that's coming Saturday at 5 p.m.

Which is what this edition of the Penn State football mailbag will address.

What did we really learn about Penn State during the non-conference schedule?

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the sideline against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Getting to know Campbell is to learn two of his favorite words are "holistic" and "global." The Penn State coach works the weeds endlessly in practice — we watched him evaluate tight end footwork from the crouching position in August. But he talks about his team from 30,000 feet in public.

Host Steve Jones asked Campbell this question on the Penn State Coaches Show, specifically regarding how the team progressed through camp and the 3-0 start.

"I think we learned a lot about ourselves," Campbell said. "When you look at the holistic model of the season, and you're able to break it up into quarters, I think you have some benchmarks of where you want to be. And holistically, we continue to talk about, we want to play to his mantra: tough disciplined, together football.

"And if you're evaluating where we started fall camp to where we are right now, how much closer are we to playing to the best of our ability within those value systems? I think we've made great growth."

More specifically, Penn State has extracted everything possible from quarterback Rocco Becht, who ranks second in the Big Ten (to Indiana's Josh Hoover) in passer efficiency. D'Anton Lynn's defense has performed almost exactly as it should have against lower-level opponents, allowing just two touchdowns in 12 quarters. And offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser has demonstrated his love for the explosive play (19 plays of 20+ yards in three games).

There are some issues to consider, like Penn State's red-zone touchdown production (ninth in the Big Ten) and its third-down conversion rate (13th). But so far, and holistically, Penn State is playing to those three benchmarks Campbell has established.

Where's the worry meter set regarding Koby Howard?

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Koby Howard (6) runs for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bulls at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State hasn't lowered the Defcon level yet, but it's a real concern. Campbell said that Howard, Penn State's most explosive receiver this season, got "dinged up" in last Saturday's game against Buffalo and did not practice Tuesday.

Penn State likely will list Howard as "questionable" on the inaugural Big Ten availability report Wednesday night and wait until Saturday's pre-game report (expect that around 3 p.m.) to declare him available or out.

Howard's emergence has been a confidence boost for quarterback Rocco Becht, who twice has watched the receiver turn mid-range throws over the middle into long touchdowns. Howard averages 114.7 receiving yards per game and 28.67 per catch, best in the Big Ten. He has gone from unused last year to uncoverable in this offense.

Penn State has options without Howard, notably Zay Robinson, whose big-play upside is long, and Brett Eskildsen, who's had a quiet start with his new team. But Howard gives Penn State the opportunity to change games on single plays. So yeah, there's some worry here.

Who has been Penn State's biggest surprise?

Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Josiah Zayas (17) tackles Marshall running back Jo'Shon Barbie during a game at Beaver Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Certainly Howard would fit this category, since he caught only seven passes last season, and Caleb Bacon's transition from linebacker to defensive end has gone better than expected. But we'll go with two defensive backs who broke through in a deep group.

Freshman Josiah Zayas started at nickelback in the opener against Marshall, as Zion Tracy worked back from a camp injury. Tracy has reclaimed the starting role, but Zayas is playing significant snaps (30 per game) and has graded out well in Pro Football Focus' weekly reports.

Also at cornerback, redshirt sophomore Tyler Armstead is a former walk-on who played in two games last season. But he has earned role on special teams and in Penn State's cornerback rotation, playing 12 snaps essentially on the second team last week. At a position with NFL prospects like Audavion Collins and Daryus Dixson, that's been impressive.

"Tyler is one of those guys that's continued to press forward and got rewarded with the opportunity of getting in the game early last week and doing some great things," Campbell said. "I couldn't be prouder of him because I think he's another shining example for us of how you practice, how you come with purpose and intent, still equals the opportunity to get into the football game and help our football team be the best version of ourselves that we can be."

Who is Wisconsin's biggest threat?

Wisconsin Badgers running back Abu Sama III (3) carries the ball against the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Camp Randall Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph is a dual threat averaging 250.7 yards passing per game, albeit with a 63.5-percent completion rate. But the most fascinating player will be running back Abu Sama III.

Sama rushed for 732 yards and five touchdowns alongside Carson Hansen in Iowa State's offense last season. He didn't play for the Badgers last week, as coach Luke Fickell held him out with Saturday's game in mind.

Campbell, his staff and so much of Penn State's offense (and defense) are familiar with Sama and his playing style. He'll be motivated, and if healthy, a major threat.

"He's got the ability to make you pay in space and is physical, can hit a home run on every run," Campbell said.

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