Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545007
3 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 sive back with a stat line at Iowa State last season demonstrating his versatility pressuring the quarterback (11), making tackles (77) and grabbing interceptions (2) — builds on the pool of candidates. Senior linebackers Kooper Ebel and Ca- leb Bacon have demonstrated the knack, too. New defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn is going to need more than that when it counts, though. And the un- proven potential within the defensive end room would be a good place to start. The Nittany Lions will be leaning hard on a trio of sophomores. Whether it's Max Granville, Yvan Kemajou or Alex McPherson, the team needs someone to get to the quarterback in a Big Ten that now features many potent passing of- fenses. The same carries over to Smith's cor- nerbacks room and the interceptions that didn't happen last year. The Lions finished the season ranked No. 103 out of 134 teams nationally in passes inter- cepted, nabbing just 6 as a team. The cornerbacks accounted for only 2, both coming against Villanova. This year's projected starters — redshirt senior Au- davion Collins and sophomore Daryus Dixson — will get the opportunity to show what they can do. For the Nittany Lions to have the type of season they want, their big-play pro- ductivity must improve. Offensive Line, Revamped Spring practice offered a look at how the Nittany Lions' offensive line is taking shape under new position coach Ryan Clanton. Promising redshirt freshman Malachi Goodman looks set at left tackle. Iowa State import Trevor Buhr was described by Campbell as "one of the best interior O-linemen in the entire country" after two seasons as a starter and is poised to start at left guard as a redshirt junior. At center, redshirt sophomore Brock Riker will still need to beat out redshirt senior Dominic Rulli in preseason camp, but he was a major acquisition in the transfer portal after impressing in his short tenure at Texas State. Junior Coo- per Cousins was "nothing short of elite" in Campbell's estimation and is a safe bet to man the right guard position. And redshirt junior Anthony Donkoh, out for the spring while recovering from a medi- cal procedure, was described by the Li- ons' new head coach as having "a chance to be one of the absolute best players" in the program. In other words, the Lions appear to have what they need to field a quality of- fensive line in 2026. But if Penn State fans have come to understand anything in recent years, it's that the actual performance up front can be fickle. That's with or without the tal- ent and potential of its individual play- ers. With so much else appearing to be in place offensively — a familiar offensive coordinator to the starting quarterback and nearly all of the core skill-position players surrounding him — will this of- fensive line provide the necessary block- ing to unlock it all? How good could it be? Campbell said the staff felt "as good about that room as any room" on the team leading into spring practice. That's a foundation upon which the Nittany Lions can certainly build and work. ■ Redshirt sophomore Brock Riker was one of Penn State's biggest acquisitions in the transfer portal this year. He's com- peting with Dominic Rulli for the starting center position. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER