As a true freshman, Penn State defensive end Yvan Kemajou showed flashes of an elite pass rusher, racking up 12 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks in 10 games.

Although he was recruited by James Franklin and former Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes, who left Happy Valley at the end of 2025 for the same role at South Carolina, Kemajou chose to stay at Penn State under Matt Campbell and a new coaching staff.

Now, through three games of his sophomore season, the Burtonsville, Maryland native is an integral part of the Nittany Lions’ edge rusher unit that will be without Max Granville for the rest of the year and Lavar Arrington II for at least another couple of weeks.

“I think at first it was kind of spotty. He’d make flash plays, and then he wouldn’t for a little bit, and then he’d make a play,” defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said Tuesday during his biweekly media availability. “I just think the more he’s been in this system, the more consistent he’s been.”

Kemajou also expressed newfound confidence in the scheme on Tuesday, saying he’s been more confident in Lynn’s scheme than in past defenses.

The 2026 numbers haven’t necessarily been game-breaking for Kemajou, but he’s showcased a gap-sound, winning playstyle that aligns with Lynn’s overarching message of “doing your 1/11.”

Kemajou put together a pair of quarterback hurries in Week 3 against Buffalo, including a third-down pressure that forced an errant throw right into cornerback Audavion Collins’ hands for a pass breakup that should have been an interception.

Kemajou and his heavy hands, as Lynn describes, have been disruptive against the run, making him a versatile piece up front who can play on both early run downs and passing downs from any gap.

“I’ve been working a lot more power this year, which has been good, but I’ve definitely been the type of guy who wants to get around you, speed work off the edge,” Kemajou said.

Skeptics will quickly point to Penn State’s lack of statistical pass-rushing productivity, as Kemajou is one of just five players to record a sack so far and joins Caleb Bacon as the only defensive linemen with one. However, it’s worth noting how quickly the ball has been coming out against Lynn’s defense.

Last Saturday, Buffalo’s quarterback Jason Wright averaged just six yards per completion. In the season opener, Marshall’s Carlos Del Rio-Wilson averaged 5.4 yards per completion, indicating an opposing emphasis on checkdowns, screens, and a quick passing attack.

“I think [our pass rushers] have done a good job affecting the quarterbacks. Sometimes you got to look at like, how are they affecting them? Because sometimes you can’t just go off sacks,” Lynn said. “Some of the opponents have done a good job getting the ball out fast, but I feel like we’ve been winning the matchups we need to win.”

Campbell believes the pass-rushing group is one of the most improved areas of his team through the first quarter of the season, highlighting the handful of guys who can win one-on-one rushes against multiple protection concepts.

Despite his head coach’s praise, the ever-humble Kemajou sees room for improvement, particularly in rushing as a cohesive unit to secure hits on the quarterbacks.

“We’ve been getting good rushes, good pressures, but we really need to finish and get a sack,” Kemajou said.

Unfortunately, Penn State’s Big Ten opener against Wisconsin won’t be any easier on the blue and white’s pass rushers to bring home the bacon, so to speak.

Badgers starting quarterback Colton Joseph threatens with his legs, leading the team in carries with 25 through three games.

“[Joseph’s] got elite athletic ability to stress you in the quarterback run game and really the running game in general, and yet he’s also a young man that’s dynamic out of the pocket,” said Campbell. “He’s got the ability to make all the throws, and I think what you’ve seen is offensively they’ve tailor-made it around his skill set.”

If the Nittany Lions want to succeed against Big Ten teams, Kemajou and the rest of Penn State’s pressure players must keep leveling up week to week.