Penn State Football Starts and Sits: Breaking Down Every Position Battle

Matt Campbell's first Penn State football training camp is over. The Nittany Lions wind down August with a pretty firm grasp of what their starting lineup will look like Sept. 5 against Marshall.

What matters more are rotations and snap counts. Who does the coaching staff trust to play the most reps and, importantly, be on the field with the game on the line. That's how we're approaching this start-or-sit study of Penn State's Week 1 roster.

How does the backfield rotation operate?

Penn State Nittany Lions running back James Peoples runs through a drill during a practice session inside Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Running backs coach Savon Huggins has said three, perhaps even four, backs will score playing time. That's dependent on two things: how well they protect the ball and the quarterback.

There's definitely a hierarchy. Senior Carson Hansen will start vs. Marshall (if healthy) and take the early No. 1 spot. Campbell trusts Hansen, who carried the ball 361 times over three seasons at Iowa State and didn't lose a fumble. He also averaged 5.1 yards per carry last season.

But Ohio State transfer James Peoples had the kind of camp that coaches reward with playing time. He not only was explosive but also improved in pass protection, which Huggins called a "non-negotiable."

Returning backs Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace, at last healthy, have staked their claim to carries as well. We expect to see all four in the opener and through the non-conference season, which will determine the rotation once the Big Ten schedule begins.

Does Malachi Goodman play the full game at left tackle?

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive linesman Malachi Goodman (78) warms up before a game vs. the Villanova Wildcats. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State is undeniably light on experience at left tackle, where Malachi Goodman, Owen Aliciene and Garrett Sexton have a combined zero starts. Further, Goodman has yet to play a snap in college football, much less as quarterback Rocco Becht's primary blind-side protector.

Left tackle is the position Penn State needed to secure most in camp, and Goodman seems to have won the job. After nudging Goodman to be more consistent, Campbell said this week that the redshirt freshman has had a "phenomenal camp." And offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser said that Goodman and left guard Trevor Buhr developed a quick symbiosis in August.

Goodman needs the reps, so Penn State would be wise to run him through the offense during the non-conference schedule. This isn't a position for shared playing time. Goodman is the future, so let him work through the learning curve now.

What does the receivers rotation look like?

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Brett Eskildsen (4) participates during a practice session inside Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Campbell and Mouser want to emphasize the tight end position in their offense, which will impact the receivers rotation. Could be three, could be one on the field, depending on the situation. The primary trio will be Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen and Koby Howard, though others will rotate through.

For Sowell, the last two weeks of camp were important. Campbell said the redshirt senior "started slow" but rebounded to catch the ball more consistently. This is an important contract year for Sowell, who is playing for his fourth team in five years.

Eskildsen, who missed some camp time, and Howard largely have been models of consistency and will test secondaries deep during the non-conference schedule. Two young receivers to watch are redshirt freshman Zay Robinson and true freshman Amarion Jackson, who should get their share of work in the first three games.

Could defensive end become a strength?

Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Max Granville (18) arrives for football media day in Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Penn State doesn't return a lot of sacks from its defensive ends. Caleb Bacon, who is playing edge for the Nittany Lions, made 3 sacks at linebacker for Iowa State last season. And then returning defensive end Yvan Kemajou had 1.5.

But let's separate sacks from pressure, which is what the edge rushers will be asked to do consistently. With Bacon (who will be a hybrid), Kemajou, Ikenna Ezeogu, Max Granville and Alexander McPherson, Penn State believes it has five ends who can generate pressure and TFLs. Ezeogu, an Iowa State transfer, will do that from across the line of scrimmage.

Defensive end still is one of Penn State's biggest positional question marks this season. But training camp suggested that the Nittany Lions have put together a room with the depth to be competitive.

How healthy is the secondary?

Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Daryus Dixson (5) celebrates a stop vs. the Clemson Tigers in the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State's deep secondary had some bumps during camp, with cornerbacks Daryus Dixson, Zion Tracy and Jahmir Joseph all missing time. Meanwhile, Jeremiah Cooper continues his comeback from a 2025 ACL tear.

The good news is, Tracy and Dixson have returned, and cornerback Audavion Collins was one of the best players in camp. Mouser said that Collins' coverage gave him a headache. Further, those absences gave reps to some young players, and freshman cornerback Josiah Zayas took advantage to earn a spot on the two-deep.

Campbell also brought three safeties with him from Iowa State, so if Cooper isn't ready for the opener, senior Jamison Patton, a three-game starter last season, is ready to take that spot.

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