Penn State football started its spring season on Tuesday, March 24. Head coach Matt Campbell was available to media and spoke highly of multiple defensemen on his squad, specifically returning Nittany Lions.
Matt Campbell gives returning Nittany Lion massive praise at the start of spring ball
Defensive end Yvan Kemajou played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2025, including one start. His usefulness and talent wasn't noticed until the back half of the season when assistant head coach Terry Smith took over as interim.
Kemajou logged 13 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup, and one pass defensed in his first collegiate season. Eleven of these tackles came from Smith's first game taking over as head coach and onward. At the end of the season — versus Nebraska, at Rutgers, and versus Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl — Kemajou had seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and his season-total 1.5 sacks.
While he went under-the-radar as a defenseman for Penn State, Campbell only saw greatness and under-appreciation.
"His ability is as high as anybody we've coached," Campbell told reporters, according to Tyler Donohue of Lions247.
Campbell also said that Kemajou's flashes as a freshman were "nothing short of spectacular."
Matt Campbell says the flashes that Penn State defensive end Yvan Kemajou showed last season as a freshman were "nothing short of spectacular".
— Tyler Donohue (@TDsTake) March 24, 2026
"His ability is as high as anybody we've coached."
Smith used Kemajou to his full potential as a freshman, making sure he saw the time on the field that his production warranted. He was on the field for 10 snaps per game on average while Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin was in Happy Valley. Donohue reported that following Franklin's departure, Kemajou averaged 26 snaps per contest for the remainder of the season. He played 41 snaps in the Pinstripe Bowl.
The spring season is an opportunity for Campbell and his staff to learn which players are their pillars, the foundational pieces to the team. Kemajou clearly stuck out as one of them before spring came around. With defensive end Chaz Coleman at Tennessee after transferring, Kemajou has a perfect opportunity to emerge as Penn State's guy moving forward.
"This kid is going to be a major part of Penn State's future," Smith said during the 2025 season. He continues to get more snaps. Love his development, his work ethic. Love his tenacity. He's a big, strong guy."