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 3 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M linebacker, but he could also play deep. That just allows you to do a lot of stuff, especially on third down." Besides looking like the ultimate util- ity knife for Lynn's defense, Neal proj- ects as a potential captain and a certain leader of the defense. It's not yet clear who will start beside the safety known as "Shark," a nickname teammates and coaches gave him as a freshman at Iowa State because he ran around like a mad man at practice before learning how to actually do it at the college level. Now, he knows exactly what he's doing, and he hunts ball carriers on the field like his namesake chases sardines. Neal will likely be paired with fellow Iowa State transfer Jeremiah Cooper, a redshirt senior who has been on the mend after tearing his ACL four weeks into the 2025 season. If Cooper isn't ready, an- other former Cyclone, senior Jamison Patton, will probably start beside Neal. Another potential option would be to use last year's nickel defender, senior Zion Tracy, as a true safety this fall. Regardless of how it looks for the first defensive snap against Marshall on Sept. 5, Penn State fans are likely to see all those groupings at some point this fall. Lynn knows that the defense's multiplicity will be an asset when the games begin. "Each week is a little bit different, but I think it's easier to keep [players] engaged when they see we're trying to showcase their versatility," Lynn said. "If you have boxes that you can check, we want to make sure that you check that on film. I think that helps with their evaluation. As an NFL coach, you evaluate guys, you're evaluating them for your defense. A lot of times, they're like, 'We don't see them doing X and X.'" That's one reason why Lynn will let the Nittany Lions' safeties do a little bit of everything this fall. That prospect excites Neal, who is eager to transition from battling his teammates in prac- tice to facing opponents on Saturdays in front of a whole new audience. "I'm excited to go out there and go against different teams and just play some football against people other than my brothers," he said. "And I'm excited to win some football games." ■ New-Look Nittany Lions Cited As Potential Playoff Contenders Junior safety Marcus Neal Jr. was one of the highest rated of the 40 transfers who joined Penn State this year, ranking fifth among all safeties in the portal according to On3. As such, he's among the major reasons why Penn State was listed by CBSSports. com in July as one of 10 transfer-heavy teams that could unexpectedly crash the College Football Playoff this season. CBS limited its list to teams that brought in 20 or more transfers, with at least half of the newcomers appearing on the post-spring two-deep. Under those parameters, the Nittany Lions were an obvious choice. Their depth chart is littered with new faces, the majority of whom, like Neal, followed head coach Matt Campbell from Iowa State to PSU. Campbell's team also has the kind of schedule that, at least on paper, suggests a 10- win season is feasible. For the Nittany Lions to make the CFP, 10 wins would be all but mandatory given that they don't play any Power Four opponents in their nonconference slate and avoid several of the Big Ten's heavy hitters. Penn State has only been to the playoff once in its history, in 2024, and as writer Brad Crawford of CBS Sports noted, the point of hiring Campbell was to change the status quo. "The Nittany Lions wanted a coach capable of maximizing talent against the Big Ten's best, and Campbell believes his elite — Iowa State-heavy — transfer class may have answered that call," Crawford wrote. "Combined with one of the nation's friendliest schedules, the path to the CFP is there for the taking. Penn State avoids several bruising week-to-week stretches that derail championship hopefuls and is the only team in the Big Ten to avoid Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana. If the transfer additions mesh with a returning core, the Nittany Lions have a chance to compete for a top-15 ranking and spot in the conversation." Penn State is the only Big Ten team on CBS's list. Joining the Nittany Lions are Auburn, Florida, Louisville, LSU, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, South Carolina and Texas Tech. — Greg Pickel Matt Campbell and his staff welcomed 40 transfers this offseason. His team was listed by CBSSports.com as one of 10 transfer-heavy teams that could "crash the 2026 CFP." PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER