Matt Campbell on why Zion Tracy is so valuable for Penn State football

Matt Campbell has a never-ending set of puzzle pieces to begin fitting together during his first spring practice sessions.

He’s still getting to know a Penn State football team with more than 50 new players. He’s breaking in a new staff, including his second wide receiver hire.

He must figure out strengths and weaknesses for the 2026 season while some of his top players (like quarterback Rocco Becht, offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh, linebacker Tony Rojas) won’t play meaningful roles because of injury.

He must sort out jumbled position groups without any sure-fire leaders (defensive end, safety, wide receiver).

But he does know this: He’ll rely on, who he describes as, a versatile, big-moment player to help smooth things out. Campbell called senior cornerback Zion Tracy “one of the best football players maybe I have coached, to be quite honest with you, in terms of talent, ability.”

It was a bit of a surprising response, on the surface, because Tracy has mostly been a part-time starter without accolades during his first three seasons at Penn State. And because Campbell has been a college head coach for 15 years.

But he quickly dug deeper:

“Man, you talk about being great in the moment. You go back two years ago and he’s the punt returner, the play he makes against Ohio State … I feel like every game, big moment, that guy has shown up and been an elite football player.

“I think Zion can be one of the best corners in the country, I think he can be one of the best safeties in the country, play nickel (back). He can do a lot. When you have a chess piece like Zion it gives you the ability to start to navigate the rest of the defensive structure.”

Tracy, for the time being, is an expected starter at one of the Lions’ deepest spots — what could be one of the top cornerback rooms in the Big Ten and beyond. It features returning starter Audavion Collins, top 2025 freshman Daryus Dixson and prized young backup Jahmir Joseph.

Tracy figures to play an even bigger role for longtime position coach Terry Smith and new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.

He combined to make 67 tackles the past two years with an impressive five tackles for loss (fourth-best on the team) and a sack in 2025. The year before, as a sophomore, he returned an interception for a dramatic touchdown against Ohio State. He also returned 15 punts for 87 yards that season.

At 5-foot-11 and about 190 pounds, Tracy also could move to safety position with only returning backup Vaboue Toure, a few transfers (Omarion Davis, Boston College; Jamison Patton, Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State) — and no clear leader.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at  fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: The best Penn State football he’ll coach? Matt Campbell names him