Penn State Sports Magazine
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2 4 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Smith added that the new coaches have discussed Granville with the hold- overs from last year's staff, notably cor- nerbacks coach Terry Smith. But ulti- mately, seeing is believing, and the new guys haven't had a chance to see much of anything yet from the talented edge rusher. Said Smith, "It's a big question mark for me, for Coach Campbell, for Coach Lynn." A Critical Stretch While there are plenty of unknowns surrounding Granville, there's also an undeniable upside. How that potential materializes will be determined in the coming months, making this offseason a critical stretch. "We think he can add value, but it's just [a question of], how does he come back from the ACL? With confidence? As he gains that confidence, I think he can help us a ton," Smith said. "It's go- ing to be a big, big, big fall camp for him, but also a big summer just to make sure, as he starts to get back in there and do- ing captain-led practices and things of that nature, that he gets comfortable receiving the calls from the sideline, recognizing formations, knowing where his eyes are at. "He's been sitting in all the meetings, and we ask questions to make sure he's engaged. And he's come in and done ex- tra. He's doing everything in his power right now to give himself a chance to be successful. But it's all about doing it at the end of the day when you play defensive line." Eager for that opportunity, Granville said he expects to be "full-go for sum- mer workouts." Describing his current status as "a week-to-week type thing," he is focused on returning fully to ac- tion. After so much time away, his per- spective is rooted in gratitude — for his health, the challenges he's overcome and the opportunity still ahead of him at Penn State. "You've just got to look at the posi- tives. I'm still super, super blessed to be here, and I'm blessed to have fully re- covered from my other injuries," he said. "I'm just supporting my guys right now and really happy with how everything's going with the team." ■ No Penn State position group had as unique a spring as the linebackers. The top two return- ers from the 2025 roster — redshirt junior Tony Rojas and sophomore Alex Tatsch — were both out while recovering from injuries. The top three newcomers — seniors Kooper Ebel and Caleb Bacon, and junior Cael Brezina — were all learning to play in a four-down defense again (either a 4-3 or 4-2-5 look) after spending the past few seasons working out of a 3-3-5 base. Despite all the moving parts, the Nittany Lions put the pads away for the summer feeling good about where things stood in position coach Tyson Veidt's room. There is still much to learn about it, but with a veteran core leading the way, there's reason for optimism. "We're not used to having that much time and space and offensive linemen not coming at us," Bacon said. "In a 3-3-5, you're constantly trying to shed blocks. And in this defense, it's honestly been, not easy, but it's been a lot more enjoyable coming and playing defense, because we've got those big bodies up front. "I think we're getting the knack of tracking the ball carrier now that you're not having to defeat blocks every single time. That's a big thing. And just playing a lot more in space, and just playing those cov- erages that Coach [D'Anton] Lynn has got drawn up, it's super, super fun so far." Rojas is looking to return to action during summer camp after miss- ing the last nine games of the 2025 season with an injury. Right now, Penn State appears to be planning on having Ebel in the middle with Rojas and Bacon on the outside. Rojas figures to be both the eraser of the group and also the one with the most versatility. "Uniquely, he can play all three of the line- backer positions in what we're doing," Veidt said in March. "The more guys you have like that, the more competitive you're going to be at that position and the more depth you're ulti- mately going to have. He can really play to the boundary, to the field, and he could play in the middle. He has that ability." Rojas will almost certainly be back in action before Tatsch, who was hurt during the Lions' preparations for the Pinstripe Bowl. Tatsch is on the right path but may not be ready until the season is underway. "I think Alex is certainly a little bit ahead of schedule in terms of where we thought he would be," head coach Matt Campbell said. "But even by the time we get to fall camp, I think he'll still be limited because of when that injury occurred. Our hope is, if he continues to progress, he'll be ready for the early part of the season, whether that's Game 1 or Game 2. He's certainly on track where he needs to be. "I think it will be a room we have a lot of confidence in and are re- ally excited about. We just need to know how we can play to their strengths as the season comes their way." — Greg Pickel "You've just got to look at the positives. I'm still super, super blessed to be here, and I'm blessed to have fully recovered from my other injuries. I'm just supporting my guys right now and really happy with how everything's going with the team." G R A N V I L L E Despite Injuries, PSU Feeling Hopeful About Linebackers' Potential Alex Tatsch was injured in December prior to Penn State's Pinstripe Bowl appearance against Clemson. The coaching staff hopes to have him back in the first few weeks of the 2026 season. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL