No. 18 Penn State football kicks off the 2026 season at home against Marshall this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Due to the Big Ten's new availability reporting process, Penn State is not required to release an official availability report for its non-conference slate. However, earlier this week, head coach Matt Campbell gave brief injury updates for three Nittany Lions and information on other players became available as the week progressed.
Here is Penn State's unofficial injury report for its Week 1 matchup vs. Marshall that includes who has to fill in because of the injuries and will be updated until kickoff.
Defensive end LaVar Arrington II: OUT
Per his father, LaVar Arrington, it's unlikely we'll see the Nittany Lion defensive end in action this afternoon. He shared on Fox Sports Radio that his son "had a little setback and had to get his knee cleaned up."
This isn't an injury that sets Penn State back in Week 1. The Nittany Lions have a pretty talented defensive end room with Caleb Bacon, Yvan Kemajou, Ikenna Ezeogu, and Alexander McPherson. Those four were already likely to be used the most along the edge before Arrington's injury update. With that said, it's unknown how long Arrington will be out or limited for, which mostly hurts his chances of logging meaningful snaps this season when in competition with those other edge rushers.
Safety Jeremiah Cooper: Probable
Cooper is one of the three Nittany Lions who Campbell mentioned in his weekly press conference on Tuesday. He's been recovering from an ACL tear he sustained in the 2025 season and has integrated himself into camp these past few weeks.
Cooper will most likely not start in this contest and not be out on the field for many snaps, though it's unconfirmed. He's expected to be a starter once he's healthy and practicing in full, but Week 1 isn't the time to risk anything. Marcus Neal Jr. and Jamison Patton should have no problem covering for Cooper in his absence, especially considering Neal is a likely starter as well, but Vaboue Toure and Omarion Davis could have some opportunities to shine this afternoon because of Cooper's limited availability.
Linebacker Alex Tatsch: Doubtful
Tatsch is another who Campbell doesn't want to throw back into the fire. He sustained an undisclosed injury late in 2025, and there's no rush to get him back on the field on Saturdays.
Penn State has a lot of cushion in that linebacker room. Expect to see that position battle spark immediately this afternoon, even in Tatsch's absence, tony Rojas, Kooper Ebel, and Cael Brezina are more than capable of holding down the fort and leading that defense.
Tight end Gabe Burkle: Doubtful
The last Nittany Lion who Campbell mentioned earlier in the week, Burkle is another who won't be rushed back into action as he recovers from a knee injury.
Eventually, we'll see offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser's personnel evolve once Burkle is back. In the meantime, expect to see a lot of Andrew Rappleyea and Benjamin Brahmer as pass catchers and blockers as an extension of the offensive line. Quarterbacks Rocco Becht and Alex Manske have targeted the tight ends a lot in practice, so those two (and eventually three with Burkle) will have a lot of versatility to manage.
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