This Week in Penn State Football: What We Learned at Big Ten Media Days

This Week in Penn State Football: What We Learned at Big Ten Media Days

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This Week in Penn State Football: What We Learned at Big Ten Media Days
Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell speaks during Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.
Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell speaks during Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the rest of the conference debated the College Sports Act, playoff expansion and ceding from the NCAA altogether, Penn State gathered a united front at Big Ten Media Days. There would be no podium thumping about more playoff teams or anti-SEC righteousness. The Nittany Lions were in Chicago to keep their heads down, talk about their new team and express gratitude to be in the conference.

And head coach Matt Campbell did that exceptionally well. About the only off-Penn State topic he entertained was the NCAA's "five-for-five" rule (which launched a new legal challenge), saying, "I love it." Campbell apparently can't wait to figure out how to wedge seven or eight new fifth-year seniors into his roster next season.

Instead, we got a good bit of football talk from Penn State, along with a Beaver Stadium update and when the Nittany Lions might get their long-awaited jersey patch. We're recapping that and more in this week's Penn State football review.

Some Penn State football talk

One of my favorite moments in Chicago occurred when Campbell talked about tight end Ben Brahmer as a mythic figure. Check out the video above, and then close your eyes and picture a 6-7, 252-pound tight end running past linebackers at "almost 22 miles per hour." Even as hyperbole, it's a great description.

Campbell delivered a lot of information during his several media sessions in Chicago. In a morning meet with Penn State's local media, Campbell drilled into deep into his roster. One of the most consequential updates regarded quarterback Alex Manske, a redshirt freshman who missed spring drills with what Campbell called a "medical condition."

In good news for Manske and the team, the quarterback was cleared for workouts in early July and will participate in spring drills. Whether he can make up ground on fellow transfer Connor Barry, who took the QB2 reps during spring, will be a critical question for the position.

Manske was Campbell's highest-ranked recruit of his 2025 class at Iowa State, which is why the coach called his return "monumental." Penn State needs a reliable backup to Rocco Becht, and a healthy Manske is the most likely contender.

Campbell also said that Penn State would be "fully healthy" to begin training camp Aug. 5, a huge upgrade over the patchwork roster that participated in spring drills. Two key players to watch are safety Jeremiah Cooper and tight end Gabe Burkle. Both sustained torn ACLs at Iowa State last season and, when healthy, will be instrumental roster forces.

Positive updates on Rocco Becht and Tony Rojas

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas speaks during Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.
Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas speaks during Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The two most important players on Penn State's roster arguably are Becht and linebacker Tony Rojas. Penn State won't compete for a playoff spot without a healthy Becht, and the Nittany Lions proved how much they missed Rojas last year in losing to UCLA five days after his injury.

Both Becht and Rojas were in Chicago, where they assured fans of their health and readiness. Becht has been training this offseason specifically to be more injury-resistant, while Rojas reiterated that he'll be a better linebacker following his injury.

Rojas also made an interesting comment about new coordinator D'Anton Lynn's defensive installation process, specifically that it has been more deliberate and more player-oriented than in years past.

Beaver Stadium, finance updates

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft congratulates the Nittany Lions wrestling team after a Big Ten win over Ohio State.
Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft congratulates the Nittany Lions wrestling team after a Big Ten win over Ohio State. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft spent about 25 minutes with reporters as well – enough to cover some shallow ground about the program but not get too deep into details. The main takeaway was his explanation that Beaver Stadium will hold an expanded capacity of 109,000 fans this season because of how the three-year renovation project was scheduled.

Even more important, though: While other college and professional teams are downsizing, Kraft clearly wants Beaver Stadium to surpass Michigan Stadium as the nation's largest. "A lot of people are shrinking the size [of stadiums], but I think that's because they have to," Kraft said. "We don't have to."

Kraft also discussed progress on a jersey patch agreement, which he said is in the "due-diligence" (or negotiation) phase. We don't expect one for this season, though it's certainly possible. In the meantime, Penn State signed a seven-year sponsorship agreement with GIANT, which will allow athletes to make personal appearances at regional stores.

More Penn State good reads

Kraft called his last year on the job "exhausting" but found a bright spot: Hiring Campbell, whom he called the "absolute perfect person" for Penn State football.

Forty transfers will take the field Aug. 5 when training camp begins. Many of them will be key players for the Nittany Lions. We broke down all the essential transfers.

Campbell discussed a significant defensive change he made upon moving from Iowa State to Penn State.

Will a new group of wide receivers be ready to change the perception about them at Penn State? Campbell thinks so.

And on the basketball front, Kraft expanded on comments he made about the program's NIL funding and spending plans. Basically, the AD believes Penn State can win in the Big Ten with its budget.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/pennstate as This Week in Penn State Football: What We Learned at Big Ten Media Days.

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