Though spring ball has come to a close, Penn State football is still in a period of transition and adaptation. The arrival of Matt Campbell brought about 24 transfers from Iowa State to Penn State, and a total of 48 new roster additions. 

Getting early reps in is, of course, the focal point of spring practice. But acclimating to a new team and environment is equally as important. And so far, Campbell’s squad has excelled on both fronts.  

Linebacker Kooper Ebel is one of the players who followed his head coach from Ames to Happy Valley. He feels that the group has meshed well over the past 15 practices, establishing cohesion to truly become one unit.

“The more you play with people, you kind of get a feel for one another. You start to flow. Things become more smooth,” he said. “The biggest growth we had is the things between the whistles, all the communication and alignments, all the mental side.”

One of the most notable moments of the Blue-White Practice was true freshman Josiah Zayas’ pick-six. While the play itself was impressive, the reaction from the team after the score was evident of just how strong the group’s chemistry truly is.

“We’re super excited with the team that we have, the character, and the love that we have,” Ebel said. “You saw everyone sprint down in the end zone to meet him and celebrate. You’re going to continue to see a lot of plays like that from Josiah and everyone on the team.”

Caleb Bacon is another linebacker who made the switch from cardinal and gold to blue and white. Just like Ebel, mobbing Zayas in the end zone after the defensive touchdown was a highlight of his day.

“That was a lot of fun,” he said. “I haven’t done that in a while.” 

Although the team’s bond was apparent on the field, junior offensive lineman and Penn State veteran Cooper Cousins had his fair share of initial doubt on whether that connection would ever develop.

“Those first eight weeks of winter training were kind of standoffish. But after week four, week five, week six, we just created such a bond,” he said. “We’re just one big family.”

Through offensive and defensive team dinners, community service at elementary schools and food banks, and an overall added desire for togetherness, the 2026 Penn State football team quickly flipped the script by the time spring ball rolled around.

“This has probably been one of the closest teams I’ve ever been a part of,” Cousins said.

One of the best parts about practice No. 15 is the chance to play in front of the Nittany Lion faithful for the first time each year as a group. 

For seasoned Penn Staters like Cousins, this experience is nothing new. For most of the new guys on the team, taking the field in one of the largest stadiums on the planet is surreal and further energizes an already close-knit bunch.

Jack Trice Stadium, home of the Iowa State Cyclones, seats 61,500 people. Beaver Stadium seats, well, nearly double that. And while Penn State football’s stadium was nowhere near full during Saturday’s Blue-White Practice, players couldn’t help but envision the impact a full-capacity crowd will have in the fall.

“It was awesome. Even the ‘spirit walk’ coming up there. I didn’t even expect this many people to come out with the weather they had,” Bacon said. “Some of the [original] Penn State guys were like, ‘you should see it when it’s 75 and sunny.’”

Running back Carson Hansen was also in awe of the experience, noting that he was taken by the size and scope of Beaver Stadium, as well as the outpour of support from Nittany Nation. The same went for quarterback Rocco Becht, who acknowledged just how strong a community Penn State has.

So while kickoff for the 2026 season is still over four months away, vibes are already high inside the Lasch Building. The blend of transfers, veteran Nittany Lions, and true freshmen created its first Beaver Stadium memory and is already hungry for more.

“To think this is only the spring game,” Ebel said. “I can’t wait to continue to build these moments.”