Why Penn State Might Not See Koby Howard on the Field Again This Season

For the first time since Penn State's Koby Howard was injured in Septembe, head coach Matt Campbell sounded like the receiver might not play again this season. Campbell said Tuesday that Howard is in a "pause state" after missing the past six games with the injury he sustained against Buffalo on Sept. 19.

Campbell said that the Penn State staff decided late last week to place Howard's return on hold. The receiver himself had hoped to be back on the field as early as the game at Michigan, which would have been a three-week absence.

Despite the progress Howard has made over the past seven weeks, Campbell would not place a timeline on Howard's return, or even if that would happen during the regular season.

"We're kind of in a pause state right now on where Koby's at," Campbell said at his weekly press conference. "Again, we were trying to beat a timeline coming back, and I think the reality is, as I've continued to say, I refuse to put Koby on the field until he's 100 percent ready to go back on the football field.

"And so whether that pause means the end of the season, whether it's postseason play, I can promise you, I will let you guys know. But right now, I think we're in a pause state to make sure we get him fully 100 percent back to health."

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

Howard was Penn State's top playmaker throuh the first three games. He led Penn State in receptions (12) and yards (344) through three games and had the team's four longest catches of the season at the time.

He also recorded more 100-yard receiving games (two) in Penn State's first three games than the team compiled during the entire 2025 regular season (one). Quarterback Rocco Becht targeted Howard 16 times in three games, the most of any offensive player.

Campbell's update almost assures that Howard will not return Saturday for the Nittany Lions' 7 p.m. game against Minnesota at Beaver Stadium. But it also brought into question whether Penn State's most explosive player of the non-conference schedule would play in a Big Ten game. Or whether Howard would get onto the field with Chase Sowell, who played another epic game against the Washington Huskies.

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Campbell had kept hope alive for Howard's return in mid-October, when he called the receiver's timeline a "post-bye week conversation." At the time, Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser sounded positive as well.

"I think about Koby coming back a lot, so I'm very excited," Mouser said in mid-October. "I tell him that a lot. We certainly miss him, just from the energy that he provides to the offense."

Since then, Campbell has continued to label Howard as questionable, at least until last Friday's availability report, which declared Howard out the day before the game.

Howard was on the sideline for Saturday's game at Washington, acting as a de facto assistant receivers coach to Kashif Moore. He kept Sowell calm after his personal-foul penalty late in the game and was among the most animated players on the sideline despite not being in uniform.

"I've been really appreciative of our guys buying into what it means to be a great teammate, what it means to be a future leader, because everybody's going to see how you led when it wasn't going well for you," Campbell said. "And it gives you the tools and that firepower when you do come back, and you've got the ability to use your voice in a powerful way. And Koby's doing a great job, and so are the rest of those guys [who are injured]."

Added Becht of Howard, "He's just continued to build in that leadership role with not being able to play. He's been able to help those young receivers in that room with seeing the coverages, getting with me, meeting with me, and seeing what I would like from them, and he's just been a tremendous human for those guys. And I'm excited to have him on that sideline as another coach, but obviously a little bit upset that we're putting it on pause."

Penn State's plans at receiver won't change much without Howard, since the offense has grown used to scheming around him. Sowell has become one of the Big Ten's top weapons, ranking second to Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith in receiving yards per game (101.8) in conference play. Sowell has 2,458 career receiving yards, fourth-most among active FBS players.

"We've been in this wheelhouse now for the last seven weeks," Campbell said. "... You lose a good player, and now other people have to step up. And from watching Chase step up into this critical role that he's played and played great football for the last couple weeks, and to watch some of these other guys step up and take some of those really critical reps, it's been awesome to watch."

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

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