Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545675
A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 11 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M while the Nittany Lions were on an un- precedented (for them) player-acquisi- tion spree, they also wanted to retain as many key performers as possible from a roster that was reportedly worth about $23 million last season. Redshirt senior tight end Gabe Burkle was one of the Iowa State players who followed Campbell to PSU. Asked recently about his NIL discussions with Penn State general manager Derek Hoodjer — a member of Campbell's staff in Ames — Burkle explained that financial consider- ations were not his primary focus. "For me, it was pretty simple — I never negotiated with them," he said. "What- ever they were willing to give me is what I signed for. I never had an agent negotiate for me or anything like that. I understand that playing college football is more than just about making the largest amount of money that you can make. It's about the experience, the people that you meet along the way and the journey. That was super important for me. "Obviously, money is a big part of it now, and we understand that. But it's not something that I necessarily was focused on ever. However the cards fell is how they fell, and I would just accept that. I'm just very grateful that I'm making any money playing football in college." That perspective from one of Penn State's more notable offensive additions of the 2026 offseason aligns with the broader perspective that Athlon's anony- mous coach laid out. The Nittany Lions lost a number of high-profile players when the trans- fer portal opened. Defensive end Chaz Coleman was On3's No. 3 edge rusher and No. 9 overall player in the portal this year, while Xavier Gilliam was the No. 10 defensive tackle, and Amare Campbell was the No. 6 linebacker. All headed to Tennessee, though Coleman's future with the Volunteers appears uncertain after he stepped away from the team this spring for undisclosed reasons. But despite those losses, expectations for the Nittany Lions are relatively op- timistic entering a 2026 season that ap- pears to offer opportunities for immedi- ate success. As Athlon senior writer Kyle Wood noted, "It sounds like the Nittany Lions are being judicious with their funds as Campbell lays the foundation for his program. But the ease of their schedule could also spur quick results in Year 1." ■ Penn State's personnel losses — mostly to the transfer portal, but also to graduation and the NFL — were substantial following the 2025 season. The mass exodus deprived PSU of many veteran players, but despite needing to replace more than half of last year's roster, Matt Campbell and his staff built a 2026 team that ranks as one of the nation's most experienced, according to a recent CBS Sports analysis. The Nittany Lions stand at No. 17 nationally in team-wide experi- ence, checking in with 27,562 total snaps among their offensive and defensive players. Current players have seen action in 973 games, a total that ranks 19th nationally, while their collective 400 starts rank 10th. CBS used data collected by TruMedia encompassing total offensive and defensive snaps, games played, and starts accumulated through- out players' FBS careers to create a broader picture of "experience" on a team-by-team basis. According to CBS, the Nittany Lions rank 13th nationally in defensive experience with 14,299 total snaps. The linebackers are PSU's most experienced defensive position group with 4,174 snaps, a total that ranks seventh among all FBS teams. The Lions don't boast quite so much experience on the opposite side of the ball, coming in 28th nationally with 13,263 offensive snaps. However, their tight end group is the nation's most experienced with 3,129 snaps. The quarterback position also rates highly, with its 2,538 snaps plac- ing sixth. That's almost entirely due to redshirt senior Rocco Becht, who ranks third among all returning Power Four players with 2,509 game reps heading into his final season. — Nate Bauer Even After Overhaul, PSU Boasts Ample Experience General manager Derek Hoodjer was one of the Iowa State staffers who followed head coach Matt Campbell to PSU. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS