Biggest Questions Facing Penn State Entering Training Camp

Penn State brought in 55 new players this offseason, overhauling the roster with a huge group of athletes who have yet to play a game in the Big Ten. Twenty-four of those transfers are from Iowa State, which plays in the less competitive Big 12.  

So, how will that translate to a hard-nosed Big Ten? The adjustment will be more difficult for the offense, as the unit will face some of the best defenses, and most talented players, in the country. 

Penn State is fortunate that it doesn’t face Ohio State, Indiana, or Oregon during Campbell’s first regular season. However, Michigan and Washington’s defenses will give offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser some fits. 

Mouser described his scheme in February as a “spread-pro offense” that will run the ball and try to create explosive plays through the air and on the ground. That’s probably the best way to attack Big Ten defenses, as stretching the field vertically in the passing game is something Penn State really hasn’t done much of in the past. 

Just look at last year’s White Out game against Oregon. The Nittany Lions and quarterback Drew Allar were at their best when they threw downfield when trailing in the fourth quarter. It created explosive plays and opened up the run game. In the first three quarters, however, Penn State’s offense didn’t do that and looked lethargic. 

Look to Eskildsen and running back James Peoples to excel in that explosive area. Those two could be underrated keys to the Nittany Lions’ conference games. 

How well is D’Anton Lynn’s defensive installation going?

Penn State struggled mightily to pick up and completely understand former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ scheme last season. Penn State made Knowles the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football, but his defense became a major liability. 

The Nittany Lions’ defense allowed 20.5 points per game, the most since 2020, and ranked eighth in the Big Ten in scoring defense. Knowles’ scheme was widely known as complex, and players struggled to fully grasp it.

The team is fully aware that it can’t repeat last season’s failures. Lynn said in April that he tried to install his scheme slowly. It’s very real that the most important question heading into fall camp is this: How well is the Penn State defense picking up Lynn’s system?

“I want them to really have a strong foundation, not just know what they're doing, but understand why,” Lynn said of the installation process. “And then we want to try to teach guys and concepts, that way we can always try to have our best 11 on the field.

“So I might be playing boundary safety, but from a conceptual standpoint, I still need to know what the field safety is doing to be able to do that job. I still need to be able to do what the nickel does. So I think it just takes a little bit of time for guys to get to that point. But it helps this time of the year, when you can really move slowly. … We still have all of camp.”