Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell is looking forward to the challenges of the opening game of the season.
The Penn State Nittany Lions come into the new college football season ready to prove themselves in the loaded Big Ten Conference.
After letting go of James Franklin, the Nittany Lions are looking to build upon this new chapter. With new head coach Matt Campbell coming over from Iowa State, this team could surprise some this year.
Penn State will be opening the season against Marshall at home, giving them an opportunity to start the year off strong. Nobody really knows what to expect from this team heading into the year, which is exciting for Campbell.
The veteran head coach is looking forward to the challenge ahead as he learns more about this group from their play on the field.
"I think there's so much we're going to learn about ourselves. First games are challenging, no matter if you've been there for 10 years or if this is your first time around. I think first games of the season are always tricky and always challenging. I'm excited to get into this moment because it's going to tell us a lot more where we need to continue to grow forward to, with a big challenge at hand on top of it," Campbell said.
Following Campbell from Iowa State is quarterback Rocco Becht, who was a top player in the sport entering last season. Becht played in 12 games a year ago for the Cyclones, throwing for 2,584 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
2024 saw Becht throw for 3,505 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He brings over plenty of experience with him to Penn State, and he's looking forward to the challenges ahead of him.
“I feel like I have more to prove to myself, to go out there and do my job day in and day out, each game,” Becht said. “I feel healthy, a 100% again, so I feel like I’m back to my 2024 self and I just want to go out there and play ball and win a lot of games for this program.”
If Becht can stay healthy, the Nittany Lions could surprise some people this year. Penn State has the makings of a potential sleeper in the Big Ten heading into the season.
Campbell gives this team a new look and new credibility, offering a chance to turn the tables from previous letdown seasons. But the team can't get ahead of themselves, instead taking things one game at a time, seeing how they can read and react to different situations.
