Penn State Best Bets of the Week: The Training Camp Grind

We summarize the top Penn State stories of the week as the Nittany Lions near the conclusion of training camp.

Penn State wide receiver Trebor Peña catches a pass in the end zone during practice outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How about this: Penn State is almost done with training camp. The Nittany Lions have been at it for nearly three weeks in some often-uncomfortable State College weather. But the good news is, Penn State football enters game-week prep soon. And everyone will return to the next-level erector set that is Beaver Stadium for the Aug. 30 opener against Nevada.

Meanwhile, Penn State wrestling is about to embark on its world tour, and we recommend a terrific profile of PJ Duke, perhaps your next favorite Nittany Lions wrestler. Miss any Penn State news this week? We've got you linked with the Penn State best bets of the week.

So, what's happening at Penn State training camp?

Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer throws during practice outside Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

From a dynamic roster news perspective, this has been a relatively quiet Penn State camp. No significant injuries (that have gone public, at least). No real position drama. No starting quarterback competition to endlessly detail (unlike at Missouri, featuring former Nittany Lion Beau Pribula).

Quiet training camps are the best kind, right? Second-ranked Penn State appears simply to be grinding through late-summer, dutifully checking off install points on its task list. There's some competition at right guard/tackle, among the linebackers and for backup roles at running back and quarterback. Otherwise, though, Penn State knows what it has.

Of course, the coaching staff has to keep players sharp. Which is why head coach James Franklin pointed out missed assignments last week, and why defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said he's looking for some linebackers (beyond Tony Rojas, Dom DeLuca and Amare Campbell) to show themselves.

Reporters will get their last look at training camp this week. Until then, check out our observations from last week's open practice window. One newsworthy item: Two Penn State players were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia following an on-campus police investigation in July. The alleged incident occurred before Penn State began training camp.

ESPN inflates and punctures the hype bubble

Penn State football coach James Franklin answers a question at a press conference during football media day in Beaver Stadium. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the preseason ending, so will the breathless conversations about how Penn State is poised either to win a national title or crash into its expectations. There's no middle-ground ending for this team. And ESPN certainly isn't living in that middle ground.

ESPN anlyst Kyle Bonagura pegs Penn State for the College Football Playoff championship game vs. Texas, which would present an epic quarterback showdown at Hard Rock Stadium in January. But "First Take" superstar Chris "Mad Dog" Russo came with this counterpoint.

"How is Penn State with their history under [James] Franklin in big spots ... second in the country?"@MadDogUnleashed disagrees with Penn State's No. 2 ranking 😯 pic.twitter.com/fBPl2F9sx8

— First Take (@FirstTake) August 13, 2025

Bill Connolly, author of the SP+ formula, delivered a more measured look at Penn State, which is fourth in the final preseason rankings. It's noteworthy, though, that No. 1 Ohio State and Penn State both have the highest regular-season average win total at 10. Penn State's "preseason" schedule is a factor.

Penn State wrestling takes on the world

P.J. Duke from Minisink Valley celebrates a win at the 2025 NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships. | John Meore/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State wrestling almost literally will take on the world in August and September. Five Nittany Lions, or half the U.S. men's freestyle team, will represent Penn State at the U20 World Wrestling Championships, which begin Aug. 17 in Bulgaria.

And in September, seven current or future Nittany Lions wrestlers (70 percent of the U.S. men's freestyle team) will compete at the U23 World Championships in Serbia. Incoming Penn State freshman PJ Duke will be on both teams as well as the Senior National team that will compete in Croatia in October.

Duke is among the most fascinating stories of the men's freestyle season. He's a recent high school graduate who has qualified for three U.S. world teams and, at the time, was the youngest U.S. qualifier for Senior Worlds in five decades.

Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record wrote a fascinating profile of Duke, who will join Penn State's roster at 157 pounds, a weight class currently owned by two-time All-American Tyler Kasak. A subscription is required, but the story is well worth it.

Penn State stories you might have missed

First, your weekly look at Beaver Stadium, courtesy of Statecollege.com's Mike Poorman.

NETTING NOW going up in Penn State’s BEAVER STADIUM on the back side of the west upper deck temporary bleachers. Look: pic.twitter.com/yTpNLrb8cB

— Mike Poorman (@PSUPoorman) August 14, 2025

The NCAA's Committee on Infractions released its long-awaited report detailing Michigan's sign-stealing operation. How should Penn State fans read it? Some takeaways.

Penn State fans comfortable with looking ahead can RSVP for CFP title-game tickets. How? Here's the process. One word of caution: Buying an RSVP is non-refundable, so fans can't get their money back if the Nittany Lions don't make the championship game.

Speaking of Penn State football tickets, there's a tremendous imbalance to resale-market pricing. One home game (you know which) costs more than the other six combined.

Max Ralph of Pennlive sat down with (and tried to arm-wrestle) Penn State offensive line commit Kevin Brown of Harrisburg High. The story is a success; not sure about the arm wrestling.