Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547542
3 2 D E C E M B E R 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 W hen something goes wrong in football, fans often default to blaming "coaching." That catch- all covers everything from player execu- tion and in-game rotations to clock man- agement and the game plan. Criticism is often warranted, but some of it is mis- placed frustration. One part of the Penn State coaching staff's work this season deserves a closer look: player development. Who has got- ten better since we last saw them, or at least since we studied their film in 2025? Here are seven players whose progress stood out through Penn State's first nine games. This isn't a review of every player who has taken the field. The focus is on frequent contributors whose improve- ment has been visible even as the team has struggled. Koby Howard | WR Where didn't Howard develop? The sophomore receiver showed reliable hands in a limited role in 2025, finishing with 7 catches for 133 yards. This year, we've seen much more of what he can do. Before getting hurt against Buffalo in Penn State's nonconference finale, he had 12 catches for 344 yards and 2 touch- downs, averaging 28.7 yards per recep- tion. Seven of those catches covered at least 20 yards. His contested-catch ability and explosive yards after the catch are highlights. As we discussed throughout the off- season, consistency is Howard's most important area of development. It'll be fascinating to see in Penn State's last few games whether he's the same explosive, dynamic playmaker he was against non- conference competition. Chase Sowell | WR Like Howard, Sowell stands out for his consistency as a playmaker. He flashed brilliance at Iowa State and clearly had the physical tools to be a complete receiver, but he needed to put it all together. In his final college season, he's done that. We've also watched the improvement happen in real time. The redshirt senior struggled early in camp and at the start of the sea- son, then turned the corner in the second half of the Temple game. Since then, he's filled the role of a chain-moving X receiver who can catch the ball in one-on-one situations and break tackles. He's dramatically improved his contested-catch play in recent weeks and retained his ability to threaten de- fenses downfield. He's not used over the middle very much, which was his biggest weakness in 2025, but he's come a long way elsewhere. His career-best 11 catches for 151 yards at Michigan were evidence of that improvement. Through nine games, he had 38 receptions for 635 yards and 4 touchdowns, surpassing his 32 catches for 500 yards and 2 scores at Iowa State last year. Listed at 6-foot-3, 203 pounds, Sowell has a blend of size, strength and speed that makes him a viable No. 1 target. Josiah Zayas | NB We're watching a potential star emerge in Zayas. It was a small sample, but defen- sive coordinator D'Anton Lynn used the true freshman in more varied roles against Michigan before the bye week. He's gotten better in man coverage, es- pecially when asked to flip his hips and Penn State's Success Stories Even amid a roller coaster season, these players have turned heads T H O M A S F R A N K CA R R | T F R A N K . C A R R @ O N 3 . C O M Cornerback Josiah Zayas had 2 interceptions through Penn State's first nine games, including a 51-yard touchdown return against Wisconsin. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS