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Everything Penn State coach Matt Campbell said after the Lions' 55-13 win over Buffalo
- Campbell described Penn State's center change after Brock's first two series against Buffalo as precautionary: Brock entered the game dinged up and still did not appear 100%. He praised Vaea Ikakuola's execution in relief and said having two capable centers was valuable; he did not announce a permanent starting change or return timetable.
- Campbell said the player identified as 'Rapp' in the supplied Penn State Q&A could have returned after being dinged up, but the staff decided against putting him back in given the game situation. The answer supplies no diagnosis, injury location or next-game availability ruling.
- Campbell credited all four Penn State running backs with productive moments against Buffalo and singled out Quinton's strong practice week carrying into the game. He also tied the rushing improvement to perimeter blocking and getting runners into space, without announcing a new backfield order or touch allocation.
- Campbell said Penn State defended first- and second-down runs better against Buffalo than against Temple, creating passing situations where pressure could help the secondary. He emphasized experienced defensive backs plus younger depth allowing fresh-body rotation rather than requiring veterans to handle roughly 60 snaps; no fixed snap limit or new coverage package was announced.
- Campbell attributed most Penn State penalties against Buffalo to fundamental technique at the point of attack and called out a separate selfish late penalty. He also flagged a dropped snap for quarterback work. While putting the 2026 season turnover margin at plus-five through three games, he stressed cleaner finishing rather than treating the 55-13 win as complete execution.
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Penn State head coach Matt Campbell press conference: Buffalo
- In the Sept. 15 pre-Buffalo interview, coordinator Taylor Mouser said 85-90% of Penn State's offense was installed, but overly full call sheets in the first two games may have kept players from playing fast. He still saw basic blocking mistakes up front and emphasized practice and simplification, not installation of a new offense.
- Reviewing Temple before Buffalo on Sept. 15, Mouser said Penn State had tried a receiver-at-running-back package while Quinton Martin received no carries. He said Martin had earned touches in camp and his absence was not a lack of trust. That explained one game's usage, not a new depth order or a promised future touch count.
- In that Sept. 15 Temple review, Mouser highlighted Finn's split-flow kickouts and willingness to block defensive ends. On a third-and-one play, he said Finn corrected an otherwise wrongly blocked play by taking the defender. Mouser valued his backfield vision and short-yardage blocking options; he did not announce a receiving promotion.
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Everything Penn State coach Matt Campbell said on Tuesday before Buffalo
- In his Sept. 15 pre-Buffalo press conference, Matt Campbell said Penn State had used about five edge defenders with Max Granville available, with Liam a sixth rotational option. After Granville's loss, he expected opportunities for Jackson Ford and Liam. He also noted Ike's transition from three- and four-I alignments to the edge; he did not set a new snap allocation.
- In his Sept. 15 review of the Temple game, Campbell described Penn State's corner rotation as roughly 30 snaps apiece, with Jahmir Joseph back in the mix. He said playing Zion at corner added flexibility and matchup options. This was the coach's account of that game's rotation, not a permanent snap cap or a new Sept. 20 availability ruling.
- In his Sept. 15 Temple-film review, Campbell attributed most of Penn State's yards allowed after catches to three open-field missed tackles. Defenders attacked from the wrong side without accounting for their help. He said the staff had worked on those details at Sunday and Tuesday practices, identifying tackling angles rather than announcing new coverage.
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How Koby Howard Has Reshaped Penn State's Offensive Personnel Usage
- Penn State has used 12 personnel on 45% of 134 snaps and 11 personnel on 32.8% through two games. The article contrasts that with Taylor Mouser's prior-season offense, including Iowa State's 72% two-tight-end usage through two weeks. It attributes the larger three-receiver role to Koby Howard's emergence, not abandonment of the two-tight-end base.
- Koby Howard has gained 187 of his 229 receiving yards against safeties and linebackers. The film review describes Penn State repeatedly attacking the middle with him, giving Mouser a receiver-led option for matchups that previously leaned heavily on tight ends.
- The writer sees potential for more 13 personnel because Gabe Burkle and Andrew Rappleyea are strong blockers and Rappleyea can align at fullback. More tight-end rotation or heavier groupings are possibilities raised by the analysis, not staff-confirmed changes to the current offense.
- Temple and Marshall presented similar middle-field coverage opportunities. The article treats a future single-high defense as a test of whether Howard remains the primary matchup target or Penn State changes its personnel and attack. The early usage pattern is opponent-dependent evidence, not a fixed season-long plan.
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NIL Arms Race
- Intel: I thought the same thing based off the information you had previously provided.
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Lions247's Penn State football Buffalo game depth chart (unofficial)
- Penn State DE Max Granville is out for the season after a practice injury before Temple; LaVar Arrington II's reported absence is 4-6 weeks following late-camp cleanup surgery. At tackle, Alijah Carnell and Armstrong Nnodim dressed but did not play at Temple after missing Marshall. Matt Campbell said both will play against Buffalo; no workload was specified.
- Lions247 projects Penn State to use primarily two linebackers, with Caleb Bacon working mainly at defensive end rather than SAM. That is the outlet's expectation, not an official weekly chart. Alex Tatsch returned for 24 Temple snaps after missing Marshall with an injury; Cam Smith missed Temple with an unspecified injury, with no return confirmed here.
- Penn State's Zion Tracy started in the slot at Temple, playing 16 snaps there and 29 overall; Josiah Zayas had 14 slot snaps and 25 overall. Tracy has also played outside and wore a left-hand splint in the opener. Safety Jeremiah Cooper's workload grew from 12 to 34 snaps as he returns from injury, without an explicit full-health declaration.
- Penn State tight end Gabe Burkle started at Temple and played 20 snaps, third most among the tight ends, after missing Marshall following an ACL recovery that limited spring and camp work. The unofficial chart gives Ben Brahmer, Andrew Rappleyea and Burkle shared first-line status. Cooper Alexander has missed action since camp with an injury.
- Penn State's Dominic Rulli projects as the second center when healthy but has only played special teams against Marshall and Temple after offseason injury issues. Right tackle Owen Aliciene, dinged up late in camp, missed Marshall but returned for three late Temple snaps. Neither note establishes readiness for a full offensive workload.
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Coach Lembo's Weekly Press Conference: Week 3 - University at Buffalo
- Lembo described Penn State's offense as run-first and formation-heavy, using multiple tight ends and extra linemen to widen edges and make perimeter defenders tackle. Zone, duo and counter runs support play-action, screens and RPOs, with tempo mixed in. Moving tight ends between attached, wing and slot alignments creates run/pass conflicts rather than simply adding blockers.
- Lembo described Penn State's defense as roughly 70% four-down fronts with three- and five-man variations and eight or nine linemen rotating. On passing downs he expects crowded-line simulated pressures, defenders dropping out, Cover 2/Tampa 2 and man coverage; he also noted double-edge pressure and red-zone bear fronts. These are Buffalo's scouting observations, not a fixed call sheet.
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Weekly Press Conference - Head Coach Matt Campbell (Buffalo)
- Penn State coach Matt Campbell expects interior defensive linemen Armstrong Nnodim and Alijah Carnell to play against Buffalo after holding them out following last week's warmups to avoid setbacks. Dallas Vakalahi is still working back into form after missing most of camp. The expected returns are Campbell's outlook, not completed medical clearances or proof that every returning lineman is game-ready.
- Cam Smith remains questionable despite being out at Tuesday's practice after missing the previous game. Alex Tatsch played roughly 20 snaps last week, and Gabe Burkle also returned to action. Campbell distinguished being healthy enough to practice from being ready to perform in a game; Smith's participation should not be treated as a confirmed return.
- Penn State's running-back roles remain unsettled: practice performance, packages and the hot hand will determine important carries. Campbell expressed confidence in Quinton Martin but did not promise an expanded role. Carson Hansen is producing positive runs after missing camp, while explosiveness, finishing and game conditioning are still coming back.
- Campbell attributed goal-line and early offensive problems to details such as run reads and blocking timing, while backing coordinator Taylor Mouser's play-calling. He saw better execution after the first quarter. The improvement does not erase short-yardage concerns: missed blocks and inches on individual runs still prevented drives from finishing.
- Campbell called offensive-line depth a major question and said receiver roles are still separating through practice. With a new team and players returning from injuries, he is still evaluating position-group depth rather than presenting the early rotation as settled.
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- Pick/market: Matt Campbell was asked on the Penn State Coaches Show about linebackers coach Dan Connor: "He & Coach [Tyson] Veidt are kind of an elite 1-2 punch, to best honest with you, coaching that...
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- Pick/market: Penn State QB Rocco Becht has completed 34 of 45 passes for 539 yards and seven touchdowns in his first two starts for the 2-0 Lions.
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