Penn State linebacker Alex Tatsch became a necessary rotational piece in the Nittany Lions' linebacker room as a true freshman in 2025, but sustained an undisclosed injury at the end of the season that sidelined him from the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson.
Tatsch burned his redshirt due to veteran players, such as Tony Rojas, also came out of the lineup earlier in the season. He played in six games for Penn State, totaling 14 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended.
At the end of spring, head coach Matt Campbell gave a promising update on Tastch's recovery. He still remained hesitant on confirming if he would be 100 percent come the fall, saying it is dependent on steady continuity.
“[Tatsch] is certainly a little bit ahead of schedule in terms of where we thought he would be,” Campbell told reporters in late April. “But you’ve got to remember, even by the time we get to fall camp, I think he’ll still be limited just because of when that injury occurred.”
There hasn't been an updated report on Tatsch's health and recovery since the end of the spring season. Assuming he is still on track, the linebacker could be ready by Week 1, according to Campbell in his spring interview.
Alex Tatsch's early 2026 availability is a great sign for the current and future Penn State linebacker room
Tatsch's availability is huge for the Nittany Lions.
In 2025, Penn State's depth deflated at linebacker, especially after Rojas' injury. With the sophomore and redshirt junior potentially back come the first game of the season, Campbell won't have much to worry about in that position room,
Alongside Tatsch and Rojas, the Nittany Lions have redshirt senior Caleb Bacon, junior Cael Brezina, and senior Kooper Ebel. Bacon logged 68 tackles in 2025, 9.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks; Brezina had 29 tackles; and Ebel totaled 77 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and a sack.
A combination of young and veteran talent in that room is perfect for Campbell. It's also a diverse room in terms of experience.
While Tatsch's numbers aren't particularly high regardless of a small sample size of games, Big Ten experience is critical. For this upcoming season, there aren't too many linebackers with that conference experience considering Bacon, Brezina, and Ebel all transferred from Iowa State in the Big 12. With Tatsch likely a third-string guy, it's extremely comfortable knowing Campbell has a reliable linebacker no matter what happens on Saturdays.
Getting that experience early on in his career is also essential when looking at the future of the room. Once the former Cyclone trio and Rojas depart, it's going to be a much younger room, and Campbell will still have a clear man to turn to. Leadership and experience will take Tatsch far, even if he doesn't see as many reps in 2026 and is used primarily as a rotational piece again.
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