Koby Howard seems to be inching his way back on the field, with hopes that he can see some time against Purdue. Matt Campbell addressed this, and other question in his weekly press conference.
On season goals
Two questions revolved around expectations and goals, and the theme in both answers around improving the team one week at a time. It’s not “1-0,” but it’s pretty close. Campbell said his experience helps. He said he rebuilt Iowa State’s program three times, and he rebuilt Toledo’s when he took over. He said leadership
means building culture and finding why results are missing. It does not mean leaving the plan or the standards. He admitted the frustration and disappointment, the same as fans feel. He said his mission is sustained success over a long period.
He splits the season into four quarters, and the team now enters the third. His first goal is the identity of the program: who it wants to be. He said the staff has focused on leadership and identity, not on wins, losses, or end goals. He said results follow when those things are right. He did not mention a bowl game.
On Koby Howard
As expected, with the announcement that Howard practiced this week, came a flurry of questions about the standout receiver. He opened by saying Brett Eskildsen is 100% ready. Howard’s status is the same as last week: questionable. He said Howard is progressing well. The staff will know more by the end of the week. That said, he noted that practicing at all is a good sign.
On improvements during the bye week
Several questions surrounded what Penn State could improve upon, most glaring being the run game. Campbell said the staff now has seven games of data. He saw more consistency at times against USC and Michigan, but not enough. The staff built a clear plan, both scheme and fundamentals. He said the biggest sign was how hard players and coaches worked to fix problems.
Campbell said improving the run game starts with the offensive line, a new group learning together. He said the staff sometimes tried to fix problems with scheme instead of fundamentals. They refocused on what the line does best a couple of weeks ago. The line is the healthiest it has been. He said that began two weeks ago with Brock Riker playing well.
Outside of the run game, Campbell said the staff ran a deep self-evaluation with Becht and other players. It covered what went right and what went wrong. He said Becht would admit that decision-making and accuracy got chaotic at times. He called those fundamentals coachable. The bye-week work focused on details, not scheme. Campbell said he feels strongly about Becht. He said Becht gives the team a chance to win when he plays at his best.
On trust
Campbell said the group keeps fighting back. He saw it after the USC game, after the Northwestern game, and when the team trailed 14-3 at Michigan. He wondered how the team would practice during the bye week. He said players came to work and demanded a way forward. He said the locker room has the right people.
Campbell praised Rojas’s return from a tough injury. He said great players play with elite consistency. Rojas was supposed to build to 50 snaps a game, yet has played 60 at times. Rojas does not want to leave the field. And although has played four schemes in four years, he still shows command on the field. He said Rojas helped lead the bye-week practices.
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