Penn State News and Notes: What Happened to Cael Sanderson's Salary Listing?

Penn State released its annual Right-to-Know report on salaries, which did not include the successful wrestling coach.

Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling coach Cael Sanderson reacts during the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Bryce Jordan Center. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Summer's approaching, which means only one thing. Penn State football is approaching, too. The Nittany Lions passed the 100-day countdown to the 2026 season and are returning to State College for summer workouts and training-camp prep.

Before heading into June, which also means lots more crootin', let's pause to recap all the Penn State news you might have missed. On to the recap, starting with some wrestling.

Where's Cael Sanderson on the Right-to-Know report?

Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling coach Cael Sanderson reacts in a during the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Bryce Jordan Center. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State released its Right-to-Know report for fiscal year 2025, which provides some insight into what the university pays its top employees. Notably absent was wrestling coach Cael Sanderson.

Penn State's most successful active coach, with 13 NCAA titles in 17 years, made the list in 2025 as one of the university's five highest-paid employees. His salary release (about $1 million) prompted fans to suggest that he's underpaid. But Sanderson dropped out of the top five this year. So what gives?

Well, the report covers Penn State's 2024-25 fiscal year, in which the football team made two high-profile coordinator hires. Both Andy Kotelnicki (offense) and Tom Allen (defense) made more than Sanderson, displacing him from the list of the five highest-paid employees that Penn State is required to release. Kotelnicki made about three times more than Sanderson. Be an offensive coordinator, kids.

The report provides some interesting insight into Penn State's payroll. And if you're worried about Sanderson making ends meet, consider buying some of his nutritional cookies that are popular with wrestlers.

Masanosuke Ono speaks!

Penn State wrestler Masanosuke Ono lifts the championship trophy at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Rocket Arena. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

Penn State wrestling might be even better in 2027, if that's possible, in part because of a wrestler who hasn't taken the mat yet. Masanosuke Ono redshirted last season after winning a 2024 Senior World freestyle title and certifying himself as one of the world's top young wrestlers.

Ono was in Japan recently at a tournament (where he didn't compete) and gave a fascinating interview to the local media. Ono discussed his immediate competitive schedule, getting into the Penn State lineup and learning a new wrestling style. This was perhaps most intriguing.

"I want to do folkstyle more because I like folkstyle more than freestyle right now," Ono said in the interview, according to United World Wrestling. "I was world champ maybe two years ago, but I know freestyle like 95 percent but folkstyle, that I don't know. So I mean, I just I'm excited [to] compete [in] folkstyle more than freestyle right now."

With freshman All-American Marcus Blaze returning at 133 pounds, Ono could move up to 141 in a loaded Nittany Lions lineup. But will he be ready to compete in folkstyle next season?

It's official visit season

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during the Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

After spending five weeks on the road, Penn State's coaching staff returns home for a series of open houses known as the official visits. Once, these visits defined recruiting, and programs invested heavily in barbecues, parent social hours and gift bags, gift bags, gift bags.

Their importance has been muted by NIL, but official visits still matter. Prospects no longer are limited to five, and many want to see the country, so they're testing the concierge skills of the top football departments.

Penn State has a notable target list of top uncommitted recruits who are visiting. Chief among them is 4-star Pittsburgh-area receiver Khalil Taylor, the once-committed Nittany Lion who now has multiple programs bidding for him.

Penn State is among them, though Campbell won't make money his primary recruiting tool. He's still a developmental coach at heart who is pitching his staff's high hit rate of producing NFL talent at Iowa State.

A deeper look at Penn State's 2026 football schedule

Penn State Nittany Lions fans are seen during the first half of a White Out game against the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium. | James Lang-Imagn Images

The Big Ten released kickoff times for selected (though not enough) 2026 games. Penn State has four start times set, including its three non-conference games. See you at noon at Lincoln Financial Field!

Anyway, the times release prompted us to take a deeper look at Penn State's 2026 schedule, which has been called one of the easiest in the Big Ten. It certainly is light on heavyweights (no Indiana, Ohio State or Oregon) but nevertheless has some potholes. For instance: Washington, which hosts Penn State in November, hasn't lost at home since 2023.

Chase Fisher dived into that and more to power-rank Penn State's 2026 schedule.

More good Penn State reads

One major summer storyline for Penn State football is the team's health, particularly since about 30 players were limited in some way during the spring.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said that James Franklin's firing was a negative diagnosis for college football. His specific concern was misplaced.

Penn State finished spring drills with a pretty good idea about its depth chart. But several positions will be competitive through training camp.

Penn State wrestling commit Jayden James continued his superb freestyle season by qualifying for the U20 World Championships.

The Penn State women's volleyball team plays a fascinating schedule with trips to AT&T Stadium, Wriglet Field and the Palestra.

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