Penn State Football: Key Takeaways from Spring Game

The Matt Campbell era of Penn State football was on display for fans last Saturday at the Blue-White Game in Beaver Stadium. Unfortunately, it wasn’t fully on display, as several key players did not participate and attendance was low due to poor weather conditions.

Despite that, this version of the Nittany Lions has already earned the embrace of many in Happy Valley—and after what I saw this weekend, many more will follow suit.

Practice practice practice

There was no glitz or glamour on this cool, rainy Saturday afternoon—in fact, there was no traditional game at all. Instead, fans watched a well-run, organized practice featuring warm-up stretches, positional and individual drills, 7-on-7 sessions, and an 11-on-11 scrimmage.

Several starters were sidelined with injuries, including LB Tony Rojas, TE Andrew Rappleyea, OT Anthony Donkoh, and wide receiver transfers from Iowa State, Chase Sowell and Brent Eskildsen.

Becht impressive

There were, however, plenty of positives to observe. QB Rocco Becht looks like the alpha of this team. It was evident from the moment I saw him that he carries a strong presence. He was also very accurate. For a player not known as a pure drop-back passer, Becht looked sharp—even on incompletions, some of which were the result of dropped passes.

Daryus Dixson, as expected, continued his upward trajectory toward becoming one of the elite cornerbacks in the country. Despite the difficult weather and a few dropped balls, Koby Howard still looks like the go-to at wide receiver. It was encouraging to see him and Becht working together in 7-on-7 drills, especially with Sowell and Eskildsen unavailable.

At running back, James Peoples—the Ohio State transfer—and Carson Hansen, part of the Iowa State transfer group, also impressed. Kicker Ryan Barker was his usual reliable self, and up front, Malachi Goodman stood out as he looks to solidify the starting left tackle role for 2026.

One of the biggest surprises was QB Connor Barry. The left-handed Division III transfer from Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, received significant reps—even with the first team. He’s making a strong case for himself as he climbs the depth chart. While not perfect, he showed competence running the first-team offense.

At the end of an absolutely miserable day weather-wise at Beaver Stadium, Penn State fans could still look ahead with optimism, anticipating brighter days for the program.