Only time will tell how well the pieces at Penn State fit together.
While the focus has been on head coach Matt Campbell's roster with the mass amount of transfers added, making up for the former Nittany Lions who transferred out or went off to the NFL, we'll also see how well Campbell's staff meshes together.
Former quarterback Todd Blackledge said he's excited to see what the whole staff will do, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Campbell brought over a few coaches from Iowa State, but a majority of them are on offense. The defensive staff has former Cyclone coach Deon Broomfield, but everyone else came from other programs around the country.
"I think it's an excellent staff . . . and I'm curious to see just how it all works together this fall," Blackledge said.
Virginia and Pittsburgh get a little blue and white
Over the weekend, Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi shared a comment that had Penn State fans rolling their eyes. He claimed that the ACC was "as good as any conference in the country," in a radio inerview. That's already a bold statement, but Narduzzi got even more confident with his conference.
He then claimed that the ACC is better than the Big Ten — the conference that produced the last three national champions (Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana).
The Nittany Lions aren't fond of Narduzzi, and that comment sealed the deal on their thoughts about the Panthers' head coach.
In better news, though, the blue and white get to see one of their beloved former players get a shot at the spotlight again. Former Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula won the starting job at Virginia over, coincidentally, Pittsburgh transfer Eli Holstein.
Pribula is in his final NCAA season after playing and starting in 10 games for Missouri in 2025. While the Nittany Lions didn't get to see their Pennsylvania native quarterback shine in Happy Valley, maybe the ACC will be kinder to him.
The current and future of Penn State's quarterback room
In Josh Yourish's film review, he analyzed the good and the bad in quarterback Rocco Becht's game.
Despite limitations, Becht can still throw. He maneuvers around not having a huge arm, making him a useful college football quarterback at the very least.
"He also throws with great anticipation, something his predecessor at Iowa State, Brock Purdy, has ridden to becoming a franchise quarterback at the next level," Yourish wrote. "That helps paper over any arm strength deficiencies in his game, which injuries may have exacerbated in 2025."
Becht also knows the college game better than any other quarterback in 2026 and knows exactly where to look on the field, how to read before the snap, and when it's time to scramble.
His good sight doesn't mean his feet are always under him, though.
"He’s very accurate when he’s in rhythm, but when his feet lose momentum, he’s in trouble. He needs to clean up that footwork to become a more consistent passer who relies less on hitting the deep ball," Yourish wrote.
If Becht cleans up areas of his game and continues improving on the skill set he already brings to the table, the 2026 season will test his injury recovery and ability to work an offense without key pieces he had at Iowa State in 2024.
Looking even further in the future, 2028 quarterback James Armstrong gets better and better. That should comfort fans knowing Becht will only be in Happy Valley for one season and the depth of Penn State's quarterback room hasn't truly been tested.
In an interview with Blue White Illustrated, Armstrong said that he doesn't view the rest of his recruitment as the Nittany Lions keeping him committed, but rather him continuing to prove to them that he's the right choice. He previously shared that NIL doesn't influence his decision as well.
Armstrong then said that when it comes to game time, his sole purpose is to win, whether that means he gets a highlight reel or not.
"I'm playing to win," he said.
That mentality is a huge win for head coach Matt Campbell. As Armstrong develops as a quarterback and matures as a person, Penn State should only reap the benefits.
More: Rankings, rankings, and more rankings
With fall camp on the horizon, more preseason rankings and projections are coming out.
The Big Ten Huddle ranked players in the conference who might fly under-the-radar. Penn State center and Texas State transfer Brock Riker not only made the list of 10, but slotted in at No. 2 behind Oregon linebacker Devon Jackson.
Riker started in 12 games in 2025 and allowed zero sacks on pass-blocking snaps. He and Dominic Rulli are battling for the starting center role, and Riker is proving that he can be the Nittany Lions' guy.
Invisible Impact Breakout Big Ten Candidates in 2026, via @jrs_rankings pic.twitter.com/cgdV3VhNR6
— The Big Ten Huddle 🎙️ (@TheBigTenHuddle) July 17, 2026
Then, of course, Becht got some more preseason praise. PFF College graded the Big Ten's returning quarterbacks over the weekend and gave the Penn Stater an 80.0 overall grade. He ranked sixth on the list of 10 behind Illinois' Katin Houser and in front of Washington's Demon Williams Jr.
Highest Graded Returning Big Ten Quarterbacks🎯 pic.twitter.com/QMtM4NXiO9
— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 18, 2026
Add us as a preferred source on Google