⚡ CFB Dashboard

- Matt Campbell confirmed Penn State defensive end Max Granville injured himself in practice during the week and will miss the rest of the 2026 season. This is a confirmed season-ending availability loss, not a questionable designation. Campbell did not identify the injury or announce a replacement in this interview. - Campbell said Penn State failed on three goal-line runs against Temple: a poor first run, an interior loss on the next, and a right-guard defeat on the third. He saw improved physicality and some good Carson Hansen runs overall, but said execution still lagged the offense's standard. He did not announce an offensive-line change. - Campbell said Penn State defensive back Zion Tracy was getting back to full strength and health and praised his coverage along with AC Collins's play. He nevertheless criticized two roughly 40-yard gains caused by missed detail and tackling, plus rushing opportunities conceded to Temple. The positive secondary assessment did not mean the defense had eliminated explosive-play or run-fit concerns. - Gabe Burkle returned for Penn State, and Campbell said his point-of-attack blocking and receiving threat expanded the available formations and personnel packages. He also praised Ben Brahmer's production and Rapp's C- and D-gap blocking. The tight-end group offers ways to vary heavy personnel without relying on every player to contribute primarily through catches. - Campbell kept Penn State moving before halftime because he expected a favorable two-high coverage look against tempo and trusted the called play despite the running clock. The touchdown and another early in the second half produced a 14-point swing across the surrounding eight minutes. That successful sequence is not evidence that every offensive drive was efficient.

- Injury: Wrote more this week on feedback from Jeremiah Cooper's return and what comes next

- Penn State's Temple depth chart is Lions247's projection, not an official team release. At tight end, Gabe Burkle is practicing after ACL recovery and warmed up but did not play against Marshall; Matt Campbell says he should be available for Temple. Cooper Alexander did not dress for the opener after an unspecified preseason injury; the article supplies no return date. - Penn State OL depth remains affected by injuries. Campbell calls Owen Aliciene questionable for Temple after he missed Marshall; Garrett Sexton played second-team right tackle in the opener. Dominic Rulli projects as the backup center when healthy, but offseason injury issues limited his Marshall role to special teams. - Penn State DTs Alijah Carnell and Armstrong Nnodim missed Marshall with unspecified injuries, and Campbell lists both as questionable for Temple. DE LaVar Arrington II is reported out 4-6 weeks following late-camp clean-up surgery. These are the report's availability assessments, not confirmed game-day absences for the two tackles. - Lions247 expects Penn State to use primarily a two-linebacker set, with Caleb Bacon mainly at defensive end despite his SAM listing. Alex Tatsch missed Marshall while returning from injury, but Campbell says he is available for Temple. That availability does not establish a starting role or snap count. - Penn State freshman Josiah Zayas started at nickel against Marshall. Zion Tracy played 18 snaps with a splint on his left hand and also worked at corner; Lions247 is monitoring that positional usage. Jeremiah Cooper, returning from injury, played 12 snaps and is expected to be a key secondary contributor when fully healthy.

- Injury: Penn State defensive back Jeremiah Cooper waited nearly a full year in between game reps while recovering from a torn ACL.

- DB: If the goal is to compete to be the best, the competition is not only on the field.

- Injury: It's worth noting that Zion Tracy was equipped with a splint on his hand, so an injury may have played a role in this personnel plan.

- Injury: More on what we're hearing regarding the progress and impact of Jeremiah Cooper after his return from a long-term injury absence

- Injury: Trying to answer these in one shot plus provide some background...

- Penn State defensive back Jeremiah Cooper returned from a torn ACL in the Marshall opener, but the staff deliberately limited him to 12 safety snaps split between the box and deeper alignments; his return does not yet establish an unrestricted workload. - Matt Campbell described Cooper's previous three practice weeks as exceptional, citing interceptions and growing confidence after he progressed from limited August participation to full practice, and expects him to play more than he did in the opener. - Cooper brings more than 30 career starts, eight interceptions and 22 pass breakups, with experience at corner, nickel and safety; coordinator D'Anton Lynn plans to use that versatility, but his eventual role within Penn State's multiple defensive packages remains unsettled. - Penn State starting safeties Jamison Patton and Marcus Neal Jr. each played more than 30 opener snaps, while freshman Josiah Zayas and veteran Zion Tracy led slot coverage, so Cooper's increasing involvement could alter an already active rotation. - Audavion Collins and Daryus Dixson are established as Penn State's perimeter cornerback starters, with Jahmir Joseph at corner and Vaboue Toure at safety among the primary reserves expected to receive regular work.

- Injury: I get lost [ in a good way] listening to the accolades for this secondary.

- Matt Campbell listed Penn State offensive lineman Owen Alicene as questionable for Temple after he practiced Tuesday but was not considered fully recovered for the opener. - Campbell said Penn State defenders Elijah Reeder and Armstrong Nnodim practiced Tuesday but remain questionable after being held out of the opener because they were not at full strength. - Campbell said Gabe Burkle and Alex Tatsch will be available for Penn State this week after both narrowly missed the opener because they needed additional contact work in practice. - Campbell estimated a four-to-six-week recovery period for LaVar Arrington II following cleanup surgery for an injury sustained late in Penn State's preseason camp. - Campbell said Jeremiah Cooper and Zion Tracy are working back toward full strength while Penn State continues using multiple safety and nickel combinations, with Josiah Zayas, Marcus Neal and Vaboue Toure also earning positive opening-game reviews.

- QB/TE: There are four former Penn State players on Temple's roster: defensive tackle Kaleb Artis, safety Kolin Dinkins, tight end Joey Schlaffer and quarterback Jaxon Smolik, who remains in a competition for the full-time starting...

- QB/DB: Been saying this for months, he lost his safety net in Boston and a bruising back in Coleman.

- DB: CB Daryus Dixson said he's fine after exiting the game after laying a big hit in the second half.

- Josiah Zayas worked into Penn State's starting lineup immediately as a true freshman defensive back. - The podcast said Penn State can get creative in the secondary because of the different names and faces available to move around. - Caleb Bacon's move into the defensive line was discussed against the backdrop of last year's linebacker depth concerns, but Penn State is expected to have only two linebackers on the field most of the time.

- Penn State opened Matt Campbell's tenure with a 45-0 shutout of Marshall, holding the Thundering Herd to 147 total yards. - Rocco Becht completed 13 of 18 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns before Alex Manske entered in the third quarter and completed six passes for 57 yards. - Koby Howard led Penn State with 161 receiving yards and scored the first touchdown, while Brett Eskildsen, Zay Robinson, and Benjamin Brahmer also caught touchdowns. - Penn State spread rushing work among Carson Hansen, Quinton Martin Jr., Cam Wallace, and James Peoples, with Martin and Wallace each scoring on the ground. - Tony Rojas and Caleb Bacon led Penn State's defensive front production, combining for multiple tackles for loss and one sack apiece, while freshman safety Bryson Williams added an interception.