Matt Campbell’s first spring as the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions has concluded, and while most of the attention will turn to the recruiting trail until fall camp gets underway, now is a good time to take stock of Campbell’s roster heading into Year 1.
Campbell transported much of last year’s Iowa State team from Ames to Happy Valley, but retention and outside transfer portal pickups also played a major role in filling out the roster. With so many new players, either new to Penn State, new to Campbell, or both, spring ball was the first opportunity for Campbell and his staff to evaluate their talent and for a hierarchy to emerge.
From Campbell’s comments, the reports emerging from Happy Valley, and last season’s tape, it’s time to predict how Penn State’s depth chart will shake out when the Nittany Lions finally take the field at Beaver Stadium on September 5 to host Marshall.
Offense
Position | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team |
|---|---|---|---|
QB: | Rocco Becht - Sr. | Alex Manske - Fr. | Connor Barry - Sr. |
RB: | James Peoples - Jr. | Carson Hansen, Sr. | Quinton Martin Jr. - So. |
X-WR: | Chase Sowell - Sr. | Keith Jones Jr. - So. | |
Z-WR: | Brett Eskildsen - Jr. | Karon Brookins - Fr. | |
Slot: | Koby Howard - Fr. | Zay Robinson - Fr. | |
TE: | Benjamin Brahmer - Sr. | Andrew Rappleyea - Jr. | Gabe Burkle - Sr. |
LT: | Malachi Goodman - Fr. | Garrett Sexton - So. | |
LG: | Trevor Buhr - Jr. | Chimdy Onoh - Jr. | |
C: | Brock Riker - So. | Dominic Rulli - Sr. | |
RG: | Cooper Cousins - Jr. | Vaea Ikakoula - Fr. | |
RT: | Anthony Donkoh - Jr. | Owen Aliciene - Fr. |
No clear Becht backup
Along with Rocco Becht, the preordained starter, Alex Manske also followed Campbell from Ames. However, as Becht rehabbed from his shoulder injuries, Manske suffered an injury that required a procedure and sent him home to Iowa to recover.
The offense is the same as he learned at Iowa State last year, so Manske will likely retain his spot as QB2, but maybe only by default. DIII transfer Connor Barry may push Manske, and seems to be QB3, but looking at the depth chart, Penn State better keep Becht upright.
Peoples applying pressure
After the Julian Fleming... is debacle too harsh a word?... two years ago, it’s fair to have some trepidation about a former blue-chip Ohio State recruit transferring to Happy Valley. However, despite losing the starting job in Columbus to Bo Jackson last year, People has some serious juice as a runner, so I’ll go out on a limb and predict he wins the job over Hansen.
Becht, Campbell, and Taylor Mouser will all trust Hansen from their time at Iowa State, but he’s not a particularly explosive back, so if People improves his vision, he could earn the lion’s share of the carries.
How good is Goodman?
Texas State transfer Brock Riker has emerged as the clear front-runner at the center spot, so the biggest question mark remaining in the trenches is at left tackle. Anthony Donkoh is a better run blocker than pass-protector, so keeping him on the right side makes the most sense. That leaves Malachi Goodman, Penn State’s five-star true freshman, to battle it out with Owen Aliciene and Garrett Sexton. Right now, I’ll give the edge to the freshman.
Defense
Position | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team |
|---|---|---|---|
DE: | Ikenna Ezeogu - Sr. | Yvan Kemajou - So. | |
DT: | Siale Taupaki - Sr. | Armstrong Nnodim - So. | Ty Blanding - Jr. |
DT: | Keanu Williams - Sr. | Dallas Vakalahi - Jr. | Liam Andrews - So. |
DE: | Max Granville - So. | Alexander McPherson- So. | |
WLB: | Tony Rojas - Jr. | Cael Brezina - Jr. | |
MLB: | Kooper Ebel - Sr. | Caleb Bacon - Sr. | Alex Tatsch - So. |
CB: | Audavion Collins - Sr. | Joshua Johnson - Fr. | |
CB: | Daryus Dixson - So. | Jahmir Joseph - Fr. | |
Nickel: | Zion Tracy - Sr. | Ibn McDaniels - So. | Omarion Davis - So. |
SS: | Marcus Neal Jr. - Jr. | Vaboue Toure - So. | |
FS: | Jeremiah Cooper - Sr. | Jamison Patton - Sr. |
3-3-5 to 4-2-5
On the offensive side, most of Matt Campbell’s Iowa State staff made the transition to Penn State, most importantly, his offensive coordinator, Taylor Mouser. On the defensive side, Jon Heacock opted to retire after spending the last 12 years of his career on Campbell’s staff, first at Toledo, then in Ames.
With Heacock, Iowa State helped popularize the 3-3-5 defense in college football, but with his retirement, Campbell hired D’Anton Lynn away from USC, who will keep Penn State’s traditional four-down front. So, who does that change affect the most? A few names jump out.
First, Ikenna Ezeogu, as a 6-foot-5, 275-pound edge with great length, was something of a square peg in a round hole playing three-technique or lining up over the tackle at Iowa State. Now, in his final season of eligibility, he gets to stretch his wings as a pass-rusher off the edge, and though Penn State has excellent young edge rushers in Yvan Kemajou and Max Granville, I’ll bet the veteran gets the starting nod in Week 1.
The second place to look is, naturally, the linebacker level. Kooper Ebel, Iowa State’s tackles leader from last year, will likely slot into the MIKE linebacker spot and wear the green dot. And in a 4-2-5 structure, Tony Rojas will return from injury to play the WILL. Where things get complicated is with Caleb Back, a redshirt senior who recorded 68 tackles last season while operating primarily as a SAM backer and overhang defender in the 3-3-5, with 124 defensive snaps in the slot.
When Penn State goes big and plays a 4-3, Bacon makes sense as the SAM, but where does he fit into sub-package looks? He’s too good a player to be limited to 10-15 snaps a game, but barring injury, that may be the case.
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