Penn State's Snap Counts, PFF Grades vs. Michigan Highlight Some Major Changes

Penn State made some subtle, and also more substantial, lineup changes in its 21-18 loss at Michigan last week. They didn't prevent the Nittany Lions from losing their fourth straight Big Ten game but did suggest that the coaching staff isn't standing still during this streak.

Pro Football Focus, which grades every Power 4 game across college football weekly, didn't judge the Nittany Lions as harshly as it did the past two games. PFF gave Penn State an overall grade of 68, above the 66 it scored against USC and well ahead of the season-low 60.8 against Northwestern.

(PFF ranks its grading system like this: 85 and up is "elite," 81-84 is "good to great" and 60-80 is "average to above-average.")

But the snap counts and lineup changes point to a team trying to lift itself from the bottom of the Big Ten. It just didn't happen in Ann Arbor.

Penn State's offensive grades against Michigan

Michigan Wolverines defensive end Tariq Boney (41) celebrates a sack of Penn State quarterback Nittany Lions Rocco Becht. — Michigan Wolverines defensive end Tariq Boney (41) celebrates a sack of Penn State quarterback Nittany Lions Rocco Becht (3) during the first half at Michigan Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Penn State coach Matt Campbell showed no public signs that he will consider benching quarterback Rocco Becht after another rough game. Becht received his second-lowest grade of the season (50.2) for his three-turnover performance against the Wolverines.

PFF has graded Becht below 55 in three of four Big Ten games. His performance outlier was against USC (72.7). Becht has played every snap at quarterback in conference games, another hint that Campbell is unlikely to make a change.

Receiver Chase Sowell made PFF's Big Ten team of the week following the best game of his career. Sowell (11 catches, 161 yards) earned a PFF grade of 91, Penn State's highest for the week. At tight end, Andrew Rappleyea (seven catches) led with a PFF grade of 61.1.

Carson Hansen has resumed the primary role at running back. He played 61 of the team's 80 offensive snaps and earned a fair grade of 64.8. James Peoples (PFF grade of 58.2) was a role player, and Quinton Martin (two snaps) was an afterthought.

The offensive line saw no changes for the fourth straight Big Ten game, as all five starters played every snap. Left tackle Malachi Goodman improved his PFF grade (41.3 vs. USC, 54.6 at Michigan) but continued to strain in the run game.

Center Brock Riker, who is playing through a lower-body injury, earned his best PFF grade of the season (68.2). He also was Penn State's top-graded offensive lineman, just ahead of right tackle Anthony Donkoh (66.1), who has been the line's most consistent player this season.

Penn State defensive grades against Michigan

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Two bright spots of Penn State's losing streak have been the return of linebacker Tony Rojas and the emergence of freshman Josiah Zayas. Rojas has shown no lingering effects of his 2025 ACL tear. He has five of the team's nine sacks and 10.5 of its 32 tackles for loss. Rojas received a PFF grade of 73.2, his second-best of the season and probably a bit low.

Zayas, a freshman who originally signed with Iowa State, has turned into one of the top players Campbell brought with him. And he has a reshaped the Nittany Lions' secondary. Zayas also made PFF's all-Big Ten team with a grade of 86.

Zayas made one of the best interceptions in college football this season, was strong coverage and added three tackles at Michigan. He also made the PFF national team of the week with his 93 grade against Wisconsin.

With Zayas starting at the nickel cornerback spot, Penn State has shifted Zion Tracy almost exclusively to safety. Tracy played 44 snaps there against Michigan, a huge change in Penn State's defensive backfield.

Tracy started at safety with Jamison Patton, which meant that Marcus Neal Jr. and Jeremiah Cooper, who were all-Big 12 safeties at Iowa State, did not start. Further, Neal and Cooper combined for just 18 snaps against the Wolverines.

Neal essentially has lost his role in the lineup, a surprising development for this defense. Just five weeks ago, Neal made PFF's national team of the week with his 91.6 grade against Buffalo.

Penn State also made changes to its defensive line. Ty Blanding made his first start of the season, playing 24 snaps and earning a PFF grade of 51.2. He replaced Ikenna Ezeogu as Penn State played three tackles instead of two ends early. Caleb Bacon (16 snaps at defensive end) was the line's highest-graded player at 76.3.

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