Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546159
S E P T E M B E R 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 players are in line to feature promi- nently for the Nittany Lions this season. Defensively, the list includes pro- jected starting nickel defender Zion Tracy, safety Jamison Patton and line- backer Kooper Ebel. On offense, run- ning back Carson Hansen and preseason All-America tight end Benjamin Brah- mer also fall into the category. The roster-construction process in college football will continue to evolve, and Penn State will be looking to bal- ance a number of imperatives — re- cruiting for the future, planning for the portal and prioritizing retention of the team's most productive players. With those goals in mind, Hoodjer said the Nittany Lions view the new eligibility rules as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Penn State advocated for the changes, believing they will help players make better decisions about their future. What's more, the new rules will open up opportunities for the team by po- tentially expanding the pool of avail- able players in 2027. Not only will the five fourth-year seniors on the current PSU roster have the option of returning next fall, the transfer portal will feature players who would otherwise have exhausted their eligibility following the 2026 season. It's another variable for Hoodjer and his staff to manage, but they believe they're prepared to take advantage of it. "It creates another avenue to acquire a player in the portal," he said. "That's a whole new class of players who will have eligibility at the end of this foot- ball season who weren't scheduled to have eligibility a couple months ago. It's another adjustment to make and a whole new group that you're going to need to evaluate and be prepared for. But it's something certainly we're ready for." ■ A new column has become commonplace on college football rosters, and Penn State is no exception. Alongside the names, posi- tions, heights, weights and hometowns, another identifier has been added: previous schools. In an era defined by transfers, the Nittany Lions have many. But given a choice, Penn State general manager Derek Hoodjer would rather build the roster another way. Talking to BWI in July, Hoodjer ac- knowledged the importance of the transfer portal as a roster-building tool, but he added that Penn State's priority under head coach Matt Campbell will be to identify high school talent, develop it and retain it. "I still think the best way to build a team is through retention year over year, and developing your own players," Hoodjer said. "It eliminates some of the unknowns." In an era when portal additions can be costly, with less time to evalu- ate both their value and fit, every player Penn State develops and re- tains is one fewer player it has to project or replace through the portal. The philosophy is noteworthy in light of Penn State's current makeup. Sporting a roster built largely via the portal in January, the Nittany Lions could end up starting as many as 14 members of its 2026 transfer class this fall. And that number could grow to 16 factoring in the specialists. The reliance on transfers this season was by necessity. In the years ahead, the staff will want the roster to be comprised primarily of homegrown talent. Hoodjer said the recruit-and-retain model cuts down on many of the uncertainties that transfers bring. Instead of having only a few days or weeks to project someone's role, the staff can get to know players, their families and their developmental paths over the course of a full recruiting cycle. That vision, Hoodjer acknowledged, requires buy-in from all concerned. "It's a commitment on both sides, through good and bad, and through the developmental pipeline," he said. "We want guys four or five years from now to say, 'I was at Penn State for my entire career, and I'm awfully proud of what we accomplished there.'" — Nate Bauer Staff Sees Player Development As Path To Success Nickel defender Zion Tracy is one of five true seniors listed on the Nittany Lions' 2026 roster. Those players will receive an opportunity for a fifth year in accor- dance with the NCAA's new eligibility rules. PHOTO BY FRANK HYATT