UNIVERSITY PARK — Saturday’s weather was not conducive to a memorable Penn State Blue-White practice.
It was a raw, rainy, overcast day as Matt Campbell’s Nittany Lions finished up spring drills.
The crowd at Beaver Stadium could best be described as sparse. Understandably so.
Veteran quarterback Rocco Becht continues to recover from a pair of shoulder issues, and he was able to participate in some non-contact work against the Lions defense.
But even with Becht limited and probable backup Alex Manske out with a non-specific medical issue, Campbell’s offense had its moments.
It became clear early in spring that two Iowa State transfers — running back Carson Hansen and tight end Ben Brahmer — were going to be top playmakers for PSU.
They have the talent and the experience to shine in any conference.
But a few other skill players have prospered this spring, so maybe the Lions won’t have to lean so heavily on Hansen and Brahmer.
Penn State held onto running back Quinton Martin Jr. (Belle Vernon) and wideout Koby Howard after the 2025 season. Campbell added Ohio State’s James Peoples to the PSU backfield.
All three have positioned themselves for prominent roles in the fall.
Campbell was quick to highlight those three when asked about offensive players who made significant progress this spring.
“I think at the skill positions, you saw James Peoples have a couple of really good runs (Saturday),” Campbell said.
“I think he’s really flashed. I feel like his spring, he just got better and better and better.”
“I think ‘Q’ (Martin) is one of those guys to me, that run he had in kinda the red zone, goal-line area (on Saturday), he is playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Campbell continued, referring to the redshirt sophomore who ran for 103 yards vs. Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.
“And to watch him, I am so excited for where he has the opportunity to grow.”
Campbell added a couple of former Iowa State Cyclones to PSU’s wideout room: Brett Eskildsen and Chase Sowell. They should work well with Becht in the fall.
But Howard could be the Lions’ most dangerous receiver, a player capable of tilting the field on one catch and run.
“That receiver room and, you kind of saw it today, there’s talent,” Campbell said.
“It’s the consistency and keep growing. Koby had a couple of great catches, (he’s) just gotta continue to grow.”
Penn State didn’t have that type of wideout in 2025, a field-stretcher, in the first half of the season.
The Lions finally may have one in Howard.
Even in less-than ideal-conditions Saturday, you couldn’t miss Howard when he had the ball in his hands.