Neil Rudel on college football: 10 burning questions on Penn State football as season dawns
Trending
It sure seems like a lifetime ago that Matt Campbell was named to succeed James Franklin.
With the transition adds a backdrop of questions, alongside the usual uncertainty, approaching the 2026 season.
Let's get into ten of the most burning matters now that August is here and preseason practice has begun.
1. How has Campbell been received?
Everyone who has interacted with him is impressed that Penn State hired the right guy, perhaps luckily after the job was turned down by Brigham Young's Kalani Sitake, among others.
Part of the reason is two-fold:
First, he's not Franklin, who, while acknowledging his overall success, had lost the fan base for his team's inability to play its best when the stakes were highest.
Second, Campbell has yet to coach a game yet.
But he's said all the right things, made more of an effort to connect with past players and embrace Penn State traditions, and is down to earth.
Franklin, remember, pledged to do a backhand spring out of bed and blow up balloons at birthday parties.
On the day of the game, though, the Lions weren't served by that enthusiasm.
Campbell should manage the game better. After all, he can't be worse. While Franklin was 4-21 vs. the Top 10 during his 12-year Penn State tenure, Campbell was 4-7 vs. the Top 10 in 10 seasons at Iowa State - once a Big 12 laughingstock.
He beat Texas three times, Oklahoma twice and Miami and Oregon in bowl games.
He brought with him 24 transfers from Iowa State. How good they are and how well they adapt will determine whether the Nittany Lions can make the College Football Playoff.
2. Will his Big 12 success translate to the Big Ten?
Fair question. Penn State's last three major hires with Big 12 roots - offensive coordinators Mike Yurcich (Oklahoma State) and Andy Kotelnicki (Kansas) and Jim Knowles (Ohio State via Oklahoma State) — were dismal failures. Yurcich was fired during the season.
The Big 12 isn't known for defense. But Campbell, a former defensive player (at Division III Mount Union) is regarded as a defensive innovator whose Hawkeye teams allowed an average of less than 23 points per game in the last six years.
3. What's the top priority?
That's easy. Keeping quarterback Rocco Becht healthy.
Becht brings both experience (39 career starts) and success (26-13 record, including 11-3 in 2024).
He's coming off a late-season injury to his left shoulder (non-throwing) that limited him after his transfer.
Becht has declared himself 100 percent but concerning is the lack of depth behind him. Alex Manske appeared in three games for the Cyclones and only attempted passes in one of them, going 4-of-5 against South Dakota on Aug. 30.
He, too, is coming off an injury and didn't play in the spring.
Connor Barry, a transfer from Division III Christopher Newport who saw the most time in the Blue-White game, along with true freshman Peyton Falzone round out the depth so, yes, Becht must stay upright.
4. What position is in the best shape?
It might be tight end.
Penn State has become known for developing NFL tight ends such as Mike Gesicki, Brenton Strange, Pat Freiermuth, Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren.
Even though the assistant coaches who recruited them are gone, talent remains.
Andrew Rappleyea caught 20 passes and three touchdowns for the Nits last year while two Iowa State transfers - both John Mackey Award nominees in 2025 — will also be in the mix as the offense will emphasize the tight end.
Benjamin Brahmer caught 76 passes for 977 yards, ranking fifth in both categories at ISU, over the past three seasons,
Gabe Burkle caught 52 balls in two seasons.
Brahmer is 6-foot-7, and Burkle's 6-6.
5. Are there any others?
The secondary.
It looks like it will be two PSU holdovers and two Iowa State transfers.
Daryus Dixson was excellent last year and beat out heralded A.J. Harris (who's now at Indiana). The opposite corner will be Audavion Collins.
Marcus Neal (95 tackles last year, 10 for loss) and Jeremiah Cooper (eight career interceptions) are the safeties.
Campbell has also said returning nickel back Zion Tracy has a chance to be one of the best players he's coached.
And we shouldn't forget kicker Ryan Barker, who has made 33-of-37 field goals and 92-of-94 extra points in two seasons.
6. The receivers have to be better, right?
Transfers Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross combined for 85 catches and had their moments.
But they were only in Happy Valley one year and were band-aids after the disastrous 2024 season, which contributed to a lack of chemistry with Drew Allar, whose decision making didn't help matters.
Again, the portal has come in handy with two of the Cyclones' top receivers from 2025 leading here. They are Chase Sowell, who caught 32 passes last year after 81 in his first two seasons at East Carolina, and Brett Eskildsen, who averaged 17.5 on 30 catches in 2025 and found the end zone five times.
Koby Howard is a more familiar name to Penn State fans and he'll be looking to break out after averaging 19 yards on seven catches - all after Terry Smith took over.
7. How is recruiting going?
What started out as a Top-10 class is slipping.
The internet has buzzed as recruiting trackers have reported several key losses for the Class of 2027.
Decommitments include receivers Khalil Taylor and Jamir Dean, who flipped to Nebraska and Georgia. Taylor is a Pittsburgh native.
Another head-scratcher was the decision of running back Aiden Gibson, who switched to Rutgers. Penn State hasn't lost many recruits to RU, although the NIL has leveled the playing field somewhat.
We saw that with Indiana's emergence from nowhere.
Campbell has said he wants players who value Penn State's brand and not necessarily the ones focused on a bidding war, but he may be left with no choice but to be aggressive in the transfer portal.
Especially at quarterback, where Becht will be a one-year starter and no experience behind him.
8. What do you make of the schedule?
It's favorable.
The Lions avoid the Big Ten's top three teams - Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana - and get four of bottom five teams projected by the Cleveland.com media pool.
Franklin's parting gift - not to the fans - was another soft non-conference schedule of the opener with Marshall, a trip to Temple (where Penn State fans will outnumber the Owls' base) and Buffalo.
Then comes a challenging four-game stretch of Wisconsin in the Big Ten opener, a trip to Northwestern that will be opening its new $850 million stadium (on a Friday night) and what could be the season-defining back-to-back games with Southern Cal and a trip to the Big House leading into a bye.
Should the Nits navigate the first half of the season with one loss or less, they will be poised at a run at the Top 10 as the season finishes with Purdue, at Washington, Minnesota, Rutgers, at Maryland.
Of those games, though nearly all have a history of playing Penn State tough, the Nits likely will be favored in each one except possibly Washington.
9. Will you be keeping an eye on Virginia Tech?
Of course. Franklin admits he has a chip on his shoulder, and he's most eager to restore the Hokies' once-proud program.
And he has a bunch of former Penn State players (including QB Ethan Grunkemeyer) and ex-Lion coaches (such as Brent Pry).
He has an interesting three-game stretch against coaches quite familiar with him - Sept. 19 at Maryland (Mike Locksley, who can't stand him), Sept. 26 at Boston College (Bill O'Brien, his predecessor at PSU and former colleague at Maryland) and Oct. 2 vs. Pitt (Pat Narduzzi, who most assuredly will say something to re-ignite past flames.)
10. Enough already. Do you have a prediction?
DraftKings has the over-under at 8.5 wins.
Seems about right.
With so much new - and lack of proven depth at quarterback - some acclimation time is understandable.
The Lions will benefit from an expected White Out crowd vs. their top opponent, USC, and their next toughest game, Michigan, has quarterback uncertainty as Bryce Underwood hasn't lived up to his $10-million NIL contract.
The trip to cross-country trip to Washington will be a challenge, but the Lions will be favored in the rest of their games.
Winning one of those three could get the Nits to 10-2, but they'll also be candidates to stub their toe along the line — at Northwestern (which beat them last year and got Franklin fired) or the smorgasbord of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Rutgers or even at Maryland.
I'm saying 9-3.