Penn State Football Offseason Recap: Where Penn State Improved and Where it Didn't

Penn State football coach Matt Campbell kicks off his first training camp with the Nittany Lions on Wednesday. With that, believe it or not, Penn State is just a month away from game action.

The Nittany Lions plan to embark on quite a different season than what 2025 ultimately became. The expectations are different, and so is the leadership. Though it is an uncomfortable thought, Penn State was a national-title contender last August. Now, the team has more modest hopes to make the College Football Playoff as the preseason No. 17 team in the Coaches Poll.

What changed? We looked at three improvements and three potential downgrades from last year’s team.

Improvement: A much-needed defensive coordinator switch

Penn State LB Tony Rojas details how defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn approaches teaching, installation and play-calling differently than his past coordinators. pic.twitter.com/2GzNnPomqB
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) July 29, 2026

Penn State’s coordinators faced plenty of criticism in 2025. Jim Knowles was made the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football last January, but the Nittany Lions’ defense took a steep fall. The program’s 2024 average scoring defense (16.5 points) ballooned to 20.5 under Knowles. That stretched to 24.4 over the last nine games, during which the Nittany Lions faced just two top-50 scoring offenses.

The main problem with Knowles: He had a lengthy implementation process of his scheme, which made players uncomfortable with their understanding of the defense.

The good news for Penn State is that new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn took his time with the installation, as linebacker Tony Rojas said during Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.

“In past years, it’s been kind of like a rush to get the defense installed,” Rojas said. “But this year he’s taking the time, and we’re getting to know it very well.”

Improvement: A more daring offensive coordinator

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) throws a pass during practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State’s offense had the same problems, which begged similar questions week after week, yet it took a lot for former offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to make adjustments. Two questions stood out: When will running back Kaytron Allen become the lead back, and why isn’t the team stretching the field?

Allen, the all-time program leader in rushing yards, didn’t start being the three-down back until Game 7 against Iowa — after James Franklin was fired. As for the latter question, quarterback Drew Allar’s 6.9 yards per pass attempt, had he qualified, would’ve tied for 11th in the Big Ten.

New offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser has a different strategy. He runs a “spread-pro offense” that will try to create explosive plays through the air. That will be a breath of fresh air for Penn State.

“I think it’s an aggressive offense,” quarterback Rocco Becht said. “He's not going to go out there and call a game scared. He's going to go out there and call a game to win, and that's something you want in your offensive coordinator.”

Improvement: Linebacker room depth

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

Penn State’s season spiraled after linebacker Tony Rojas tore his ACL shortly after the White Out game against Oregon. The team went 4-5 in Rojas’ absence, and its points-per-game average of 8.5 through the first four contests spiked to 22.4 in the next nine.

Former walk-on Dom DeLuca was forced from his rotational role into becoming a full-time starter but wasn’t fast enough to succeed against Big Ten opponents. The Nittany Lions had little depth at linebacker. That flipped after this offseason.

Penn State replaced last year’s leading tackler, Amare Campbell, with three Iowa State transfers, including Kooper Ebel, who led the Cyclones with 77 tackles and likely will start at middle linebacker. Caleb Bacon, a 2025 All-Big 12 honorable-mention pick, and Cael Brezina join the rotation as well.

Campbell’s also high on sophomore Alex Tatsch, who returns from an injury but looked good in the six games he played. And a healthy Rojas is the best of the group.

Downgrade: Resetting the backfield

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen (21) runs with the ball during practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State lost its two go-to guys to the NFL in Allen and Nicholas Singleton. The Nittany Lions will replace that duo with a trio of backs — Carson Hansen, James Peoples and Quinton Martin Jr.

The good news for Penn State: They complement each other well. Hansen is a three-down, physical running back, Peoples is explosive on the ground and a dynamic pass-catcher and Martin is a well-rounded runner.

However, they’ll struggle to match the production of Allen and Singleton. Even in a down year, when he was significantly out-snapped by Allen, Singleton totaled 768 yards and 14 touchdowns. Add his counterpart’s statistics, and that’s 2,139 yards and 29 touchdowns off the board from the backfield.

Downgrade: Lack of star power

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State had some star power on last year's team that the opposition had to seriously game-plan against. Allen, Singleton, left guard Vega Ioane, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, and even Allar were headliners on opponents’ scouting reports.

But who are the stars of the 2026 team? The closest is Ben Brahmer, whom Campbell called the nation’s best tight end in 2024, when the Nittany Lions had Tyler Warren. Otherwise, the potential stars are Rojas, maybe safety Marcus Neal Jr. or cornerback Daryus Dixson.

And while fielding a well-rounded team is the goal, no team can have championship aspirations without stars. That’s not to say Penn State doesn’t have them. But at the moment, none has that profile. This can be revisited midseason.

Downgrade: The backup quarterback position

Penn State Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell looks on from behind the line of scrimmage during practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State’s outlook last year was gloomy after Allar was injured in Game 6 against Northwestern. However, backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer provided much-needed stability and guided the team to four consecutive wins to end Terry Smith’s tenure as interim head coach.

Grunkemeyer, now poised to start for Franklin at Virginia Tech, completed more than 71 percent of his passes in his final six regular-season games. Could Nittany Lions’ backup Alex Manske do the same? That's unknown.

Manske was the highest-ranked player in Iowa State’s 2025 recruiting class but has played in three collegiate games, completing four of five passes. Grunkemeyer was in a similar boat last year, playing in three contests before being thrust into the starting role.

However, Manske missed spring practice with a medical condition before being cleared for drills in early July. Campbell called Manske’s return “monumental,” but he faces a long road to compete for the QB2 role with Division III transfer Connor Barry.

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