Folks, the 2026 season is finally upon us – and all eyes are on this revitalized Penn State program.

A new coach. The winningest quarterback in college football. Hungry returners. Doubters and believers. A lot is expected from this new era of Penn State Football.

Now, with a fresh set of faces, who will be this year’s biggest game-changer? Will we see returners, like linebacker Tony Rojas, dominate in this comeback season? Or will a new face become Penn State’s newest icon?

We asked our staff who they think will be this year’s most valuable player:

Michael Zeno: Tony Rojas

This is a revenge tour for Rojas, who undoubtedly will feel bummed about last season going the way it did, with him on the sidelines for a large part of it. His burst might be limited by the severe knee injury, but a large part of excelling at off-ball linebacker is about football IQ and skill, two things he has in spades. 

He needs a big year to find himself high on draft boards next April; I’m betting he does.

Oscar Orellana: Rocco Becht

Let’s not overthink this, folks. I know it’s boring, but Rocco Becht will be Penn State football’s 2026 MVP. He’s one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football and is back at work with Matt Campbell and pretty much all of his Iowa State buds.

It’ll be interesting to see how he acclimates to Big Ten play midseason, but I have high hopes he’ll figure it out comfortably with his familiar supporting cast. Lead us to the moon, Rocco.

Karlee Feger: Tony Rojas

After suffering a torn ACL last season, Rojas is hungry for success.

He recorded 25 tackles in just four games, so the sky’s the limit for a healthy Rojas. Matt Campbell has praised Rojas’ efforts on and off the field, so I believe his work ethic and leadership presence will translate into sacks and tackles for loss for the redshirt junior. 

Jamie Lynch: Brett Eskildsen

There’s a need for speed in Happy Valley.

After years of dominating the horizontal air raid, it’s time for the Penn State wide receiver room to move into a new era.

Eskildsen has experience playing with Becht at Iowa State, where the two connected 30 times last season, averaging 17.5 yards per catch in his sophomore year. But while the stats themselves are decent, it’s the speed of the veteran wideout that gives me a lot of optimism. Eskildsen has topped speeds of 23 miles per hour during games, matching the “Cheetah” himself, Tyreek Hill.

I do think having Becht on this team can make the entire offense an MVP candidate in its own right, with the tight end room another source of excitement for me. But when Penn State has struggled in recent years, it’s because the receivers have been unable to create separation, resulting in far too many three-and-outs and stalled drives.

While Eskildsen was largely a depth piece during his freshman season, recording just two receptions, they were both third-down conversions, a testament to his clutch factor and immediate impact. I can’t wait to watch him move the chains and blow the roof off Beaver Stadium on a weekly basis.

Cadyn Gill: D’Anton Lynn

I’m going with a coach for Penn State’s MVP, rather than the traditional pick of a player.

D’Anton Lynn will be Penn State’s fourth defensive coordinator in four years. Manny Diaz, Tom Allen, and Jim Knowles all attempted to build their own iterations of an elite Nittany Lion defense, with some finding more success than others. But to me, Lynn brings something that none of his predecessors had: a player-centered coaching style.

Lynn is going to deploy his players in ways they are most confident in, while emphasizing versatility in the defense to remain unpredictable. I believe Lynn’s willingness to play to his squad’s strengths, rather than trying to force a theoretical triangle into a circle, will pay dividends for Penn State in 2026.