What We're Expecting to Learn About Penn State at Big Ten Media Days

Matt Campbell leads the Nittany Lions' contingent in Chicago for his first Big Ten media event.

Penn State Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell speaks during a press conference at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After taking his entire team on a weekend service retreat, Penn State football coach Matt Campbell heads to Chicago for his first appearance at the Big Ten Football Media Days. The three-day talkathon begins Tuesday, when Campbell and three of his players will represent the Nittany Lions in their next phase of Big Ten football.

Big Ten Network will carry the podium sessions live from Chicago (check out the entire schedule), but we're focused on what Campbell and the Nittany Lions, who will participate in multiple media sessions Tuesday. What do we expect to hear? A few thoughts on media day.

How healthy is Penn State?

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

Penn State quarterback threw medicine balls at the team's annual Lift For Life event in early July, a good sign that he'll begin training camp ready to throw at 100 percent. Becht threw more than Campbell anticipated during spring drills and set up a summer training program specifically geared toward being resilient.

Penn State doesn't want a repeat of last season with Becht, who played through much of the year at Iowa State with a non-throwing shoulder injury that required surgery.

“We're trying to make sure we build up some of that resiliency so he can play healthy,” Penn State strength coach Reid Kagy said at Lift For Life. “The biggest thing I appreciate about Rocco is, Rocco is a team-first [player], and he's one of the toughest guys on the entire team. What he did last year for our team was incredible. What he's going to do here is going to be incredible from his standpoint, too.”

Becht is one of three players representing Penn State in Chicago who missed all or part of spring practice. Linebacker Tony Rojas, who is nearly back from his ACL team last October, looked healthy at the Lift For Life event. Kagy also delivered a positive update regarding Rojas at Lift For Life. And right tackle Anthony Donkoh, who missed spring drills because of an injury dating to last season, should be at full strength as well.

As Penn State turns toward training camp in early August, the team's overall health will be something to monitor. About 30 Nittany Lions were limited in some capacity during spring drills, which Campbell said curbed what the coaches could learn about the team.

"I think we grew immensely through the first 16 weeks of our time with this football team, but are we ready?" Campbell said after spring drills. "Are we capable? We had a lot of injuries, a lot of guys didn't practice this spring, so did we gain real momentum?

"I think this is a team that, if it’s going to reach its full potential, it’'s going to have to be able to be its best. Sometimes being your best is being a little lucky with injuries, being groomed to be its best physically and play its best in critical moments. I think those things are still out there. Like what kind of team are we really? I think fall camp will tell us a lot more about who we are and where we're at."

How does the depth chart look?

Penn State Nittany Lions football players pose for a team photo during the 23rd annual Lift for Life at Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Despite the injury and rehab situations, Penn State's coaching staff still has a pretty firm grasp on its depth charts. Offensively, the Nittany Lions will have a distinctly Iowa State flavor, with at least five former Cyclones pointed toward the starting lineup.

Becht has been training this summer with former Iowa State teammates Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen (both receivers), tight end Ben Brahmer and running back Carson Hansen. He also has been building new relationships, including one with sophomore receiver Koby Howard who said the two have developed a quick chemistry.

"We understand each other," Howard said. "... Being on the same page with the quartetback is a lethal thing."

Defensively, Penn State has to get on the same page with coordinator D'Anton Lynn, who has more moving parts with his group. Lynn went through slower installations with his defense, whose depth chart is going to be quite new, particularly on the defensive line. Rojas has been central to Penn State's defense blending this offseason, so his perspective on the product will be informative.

What's new with Penn State's athletic budget?

Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell, left, poses for a photo with Athletic Director Pat Kraft during a press conference at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft is scheduled to meet with the general media for the first time since intoducing Tanisha Wright as women's basketball coach in March. Kraft, who has done some interviews elsewhere, has a lot of ground to cover. Just a few thoughts:

Is the Beaver Stadium renovation still running on schedule and, most important, on budget? The $700 million price tag hasn't been updated publicly in a while. Penn State also hasn't addressed stadium capacity for 2026 and beyond, and we're curious whether it's actually going up.

Kraft said recently in a letter to Penn State fans that the athletic department has signed contracts guaranteeing more than $1 billion in future revenue? But what does that number represent? Kraft has signed several new deals in the past few years, notably the $300 million apparel contract with adidas, so how will Penn State convert that money to talent acquisition?

Penn State also partnered with a blockchain platform to sell fan tokens, which are a form of cryptocurrency? We're curious why Kraft is exploring this digital assets path and how it could benefit both fans and the program.

Sign up to our free Penn State Nittany Lions newsletter and follow us on social media.