A quick glance at the stat sheets from Penn State football’s two games this season might make it seem like Andrew Rappleyea has been relatively nonexistent.

While his production in the passing game hasn’t been a focal point of the offense, his presence on the field hasn’t gone unnoticed. 

Rappleyea’s ability to block on pass protection has always been one of his strong suits. It was particularly evident on Penn State’s first touchdown of the season, when he picked up on a blitz from a Marshall cornerback, using his 6-foot-4, 242-pound frame to maintain a clean pocket for Rocco Becht. 

Becht was subsequently able to connect with Koby Howard up the middle for the score, but the six points would not have been possible if not for Rappleyea.

Rocco → Koby for the fist TD of the season

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This selfless style of play may be a relatively thankless job, but for the redshirt junior tight end, the job was never about him alone.

“I just love football. I love the physicality of it. I love doing my job and helping the team win,” Rappleyea said.

When the Nittany Lions traveled to Philadelphia last week for their matchup with Temple, Taylor Mouser debuted a 14-personnel package, featuring four tight ends on the field.

Mouser has used it frequently in the past to aid in run-blocking, but Penn State and Rappleyea have not been privy to the scheme in years past, instead using 13-personnel and other less-heavy sets during games.

Although the team saw limited success and stalled red zone drives with Rappleyea, Benjamin Brahmer, Gabe Burkle, and Finn Furmanek all sharing the field, Rappleyea is excited to work on improving as a group.

“I love it,” he said. “It’s just different … We’re getting the hang of everything and polishing things up, and I think that’s what’s really important: that we run our Ps and Qs as things go forward.”

At the end of the day, nailing down the 14-personnel strategy could ultimately provide Penn State with the spark it needs in a currently struggling run game.

Rappleyea’s competitiveness is another trait he brings to this team. Paired with his infectious personality and passion for the game, Matt Campbell immediately knew that Rappleyea would be an integral piece of this 2026 Penn State football puzzle.

“I love that human,” Campbell said of Rappleyea. “I just think the starting point for Rapp is that he loves Penn State.”

When Campbell met with each player on the Penn State roster shortly after his arrival as the new head coach, he made sure to ask each athlete about their “why” for committing to Penn State.

The pride in Rappleyea’s answer was second to none. 

“You knew that that was somebody that you wanted to build the program around,” Campbell said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s ping-pong or it doesn’t matter if it’s basketball. Rapp’s got something to say, and he’s going to try to attack you in everything he does.”

Rappleyea attributes his competitive spirit to his father, Allan, who remains an influential figure in his life. Allan Rappleyea grew up playing football and took his talents to the collegiate level at Union College. 

Growing up with someone who understood football and what it means to compete at a high level was a blessing for Andrew Rappleyea’s development as a player and a person.

As Andrew Rappleyea continues to develop a relationship with Mouser and build in-game chemistry with the rest of the tight end group, he will continue to hold himself and his teammates to a high standard.

Receptions will come with time, but Andrew Rappleyea understands his job extends far beyond his role as a pass-catcher. 

“Representing this university the right way with our style of play is what’s really important,” Andrew Rappleyea said.