Brett Eskildsen Ready for Expanded Role as Penn State Preps for Big Ten Play

After several seasons defined by mediocrity — or worse — Penn State’s receiving corps has emerged as one of the pleasant surprises of the early season.

Through the nonconference portion of the schedule, the wideouts have accounted for the majority of the team’s offensive yardage after three games. That output comes despite operating in a crowded offensive ecosystem, where wide receivers regularly compete for snaps and targets against a loaded tight end room.

Among those making an impact is Iowa State transfer Brett Eskildsen who, despite being “dinged up” and limited the last two weeks, has accounted for nine receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. That includes five receptions in the season opener before minor injuries set in.

As the Nittany Lions gear up for their Big Ten opener against Wisconsin on Saturday, Eskildsen and others in the room may see an expanded role. The room will be without a key player in Koby Howard, who’s sidelined for an extended period of time with injury.

“Obviously it sucks having Koby out,” Eskildsen said. “But we’re gonna do everything we can to hold it down and looking forward to having him back.”

The timing of Eskildsen’s return to full health couldn’t be better as Penn State enters the thick of its Big Ten schedule. While most of his production so far has come on short-to-intermediate routes, a deliberate focus of his development entering the season, Howard’s absence creates a void downfield. It’s an opportunity Eskildsen is eager to embrace.

Clocking in as one of the fastest players on the team over the offseason at 23.5 mph, Eskildsen possesses the top-end speed required to stretch defenses vertically. While that field-tilting ability was a hallmark of his game last season, it hasn’t been featured as prominently in the early weeks of this campaign.

A big part of that stems from chemistry with quarterback Rocco Becht as they embark on their third season together. 

“That’s just all of our practice getting put on display in games, preparation builds real confidence, so I think that’s what he’s about and how he goes about his business,” Eskildsen said.

As a collective unit, Eskildsen said the overall offense has “had a couple hiccups” but is playing solid football. The running game roared to life last Saturday against Buffalo, alleviating some pressure on the passing game and making the offense multi-dimensional.

Adding an intriguing tactical layer to Saturday’s matchup is Wisconsin cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples, who spent the past two seasons as an offensive analyst at Iowa State, giving him unique familiarity with Eskildsen’s tendencies and skill set.

However, Eskildsen doesn’t anticipate having to change anything about his game as a result of that familiarity and potential scouting advantage for the Badgers.