Penn State Sports Magazine
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3 0 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M though, the passing game struggled to produce the desired results, and the syn- ergy between Allar and his new receiving trio lacked cohesion. The Lions con- verted only 3 of 12 third downs and fell short on 2 of 4 fourth-down tries. The result left Penn State fans feel- ing underwhelmed, but it wasn't a huge departure from what the coaching staff anticipated. "We've gone into these first couple of weeks with a philosophy of things we were trying to get done in terms of building chemistry and confidence in certain aspects of the game, rather than just doing what we've got to do to win games and score points," Franklin said. "That really revolves around those three receivers. We need to be more balanced. We need to be more explosive on of- fense." Allar didn't appear to be in his "nor- mal rhythm," Franklin said, a prob- lem exacerbated by drops and missed throws. Just as glaring, the signal-caller hit only 1 of 4 deep attempts and showed discomfort under pressure, leaving the entire offense looking disjointed. Bumps And Bruises At times, there have been glimpses of what the Nittany Lions believe the offense can become. Playing behind an offensive line that Franklin has repeatedly pushed as being capable of winning the Joe Moore Award, Allar and his receivers are a crucial part of the formula for success. Against Nevada, with Ross on a "pitch count" while continuing to recover from an offseason injury, Peña and Hudson made the first mark. Peña, who left Syr- acuse this past spring after leading the ACC in receptions during the 2024 sea- son, totaled a team-best 7 catches for 74 yards against the Wolf Pack. Hudson, meanwhile, scored his first touchdown as a Nittany Lion after moving on from USC in January, part of a 6-catch, 89-yard day. The following week, it was Ross' turn. While sophomore tight end Luke Reyn- olds led all receivers with 7 catches, Ross made the most of his 3 targets from Allar, making 3 receptions for 61 yards, includ- ing the long touchdown late in the third quarter. Having adjusted his expectations due to Ross' health concerns during preseason camp, Franklin was impressed with the performance. "When we started dealing with some of his bumps and bruises, we didn't think we would have him," Franklin said. "It was being projected that we wouldn't have him until Game 4, so the fact that he played in Week 1 in a limited capacity and had really no limitations in Week 2 and was able to have an impact in the game — that's a positive. I think we're way ahead of where we hoped to be with him, and we just have to continue to build on it. "The good thing is, we've had the op- portunity to see Hudson, Peña and Ross. Now we've got to be able to get all three of them involved on a consistent basis." Against Villanova in Week 3, the trio combined to make 8 catches for 102 yards and 1 score, and the Lions rolled to a 52-6 victory. Now comes the start of the Big Ten sea- son, and with it comes a quantum leap in the caliber of competition. The Nittany Amare Campbell Making An Impact On Lions' Defense In linebacker Amare Campbell's two sea- sons at North Carolina, the largest crowd he played in front of was an announced 81,305 in a loss at Clemson as a freshman in 2023. At home in Chapel Hill, Kenan Sta- dium has a capacity of 50,500. When he entered the tunnel of Beaver Stadium prior to his first game as a Nittany Lion, Campbell knew he was walking into something altogether different. Awaiting the 6-foot, 230-pound junior on the other side was an announced crowd of 106,915 standing by to watch his new team take on Nevada. "It didn't really hit me yet, but just being out there in the pregame and seeing all the fans and the crowd, it was great," Campbell said. "I definitely felt the energy. When we were in the tunnel, the people on the sides were going crazy, and it was crazy to see. Feeling the crowd and feeling the energy pour into me, it just made me play better and made the whole defense play better." While senior receivers Kyron Hudson, Trebor Peña and Devonte Ross have been the most closely scrutinized of Penn State's incoming transfers, Campbell has been an im- pactful addition to the defense. He's been the starter in the middle, earning the green dot from new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, and has been calling the defense just as he did for the Tar Heels for a stretch in 2024. "He commanded the defense as a true Mike linebacker does," senior defensive tackle Zane Durant said. "He communicated, was clear and concise with the calls. I think he did good for his first game." In front of a large contingent of friends and family, the Manassas, Va., native led his new team in tackles with 6 in his Penn State debut. Through three games, he's amassed 22 stops (including 16 solo tackles and 3 tackles for loss) to lead the team. Campbell spent August competing with redshirt senior captain Dominic DeLuca for the Mike job vacated by Kobe King after last year. He earned Knowles' trust and has found himself in command. "He put himself in that position," Durant said. "Me and Amare talk about the plays all the time, when we're going to lunch and stuff like that. He's coming in early, getting his body right, taking the job pretty seriously and putting his best foot forward." — Sean Fitz Campbell made a team-high 6 tackles in Penn State's season-opening victory over Nevada. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS