Matt Campbell Updates Koby Howard’s Status and More

With conference play looming, Penn State head coach Matt Campbell met with the media on Tuesday morning for a brief but insightful presser.

Ongoing construction at Beaver Stadium caused electrical issues in the media room, resulting in a Zoom-only format to kick off the week.

Campbell addressed key injuries to offensive players, spoke about wide receiver Zay Robinson’s emergence and previewed Saturday’s Big Ten opener against Wisconsin. Here’s what he had to say.

Early Injury Report

Though the team will release conference-mandated availability reports on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Campbell gave some early insight into the team’s health.

The most notable update regarded emerging star wide receiver Koby Howard, following rumors of an injury swirling on social media late Monday night. According to Campbell, Howard got “dinged up” during his second touchdown play against Buffalo last Saturday.

“Right now we don’t know exactly where he’ll be by the end of the week,” Campbell said.

Additionally, Campbell confirmed fellow wide receiver Brett Eskildsen is also “dinged up” and was limited the previous two weeks. His snap count decreased from 30 in Week 1 to 26 and 28 in the last two games, and his production also waned, going from five receptions against Marshall to two each against Temple and Buffalo.

Campbell also followed up on center Brock Riker and tight end Andrew Rappleyea, who both left Saturday’s game in the first half with injuries. Campbell said Riker was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice and is “in a really good spot,” while Rappleyea is closer to questionable status.

“You want to put all the best players into the game, but you got to look out for the best interests of the players, and ultimately the best interest of the team,” Campbell said. “When those guys are healthy enough to be their best and you feel confident they can’t reinjure themselves, I think that is the key.”

Zay Robinson Rising

Wide receiver Zay Robinson has come on strong for Penn State this season, whether on offense or on special teams as a returner. With Eskiildsen and Howard’s current status, Robinson could see a bigger role on Saturday.

“You see how dynamic he is with the ball in his hands and his receptions, it’s not just the catch, it’s the catch and run, the ability to press the football forward, I think he’s certainly grown,” Campbell said.

Campbell said they considered playing him more as a true freshman last season at Iowa State, but they were attempting to maintain his redshirt status. He finished last season with just one reception for no yards and one kick return for four yards. This season, he’s up to five receptions for 80 yards, plus 13 punt returns for 172 yards and three kick returns for 58 yards.

The staff challenged Robinson to continue progressing in the spring, Campbell sad, and he’s “answered the call” through three games of the season.

“There’s still a lot of growth for him to go,” Campbell said. “I still think his best football’s in front of him, but I think he’s growing at a rapid pace right now, and I think he’s starting to play with a lot of confidence.”

Familiar Foes

Campbell’s initial scouting report of Wisconsin featured high praise for the offense, which is led by coordinator Jeff Grimes, who Campbell knows well. Grimes’ previous stints at Baylor (2021-23) and Kansas (2024) included four matchups against Iowa State.

“I always felt like it was one of the top offenses that we would go against year in and year out,” Campbell said. “I think what makes great offensive coordinators is the ability to design an offense around their best players.”

Included among those players is running back Abu Sama III, who played for the Cyclones from 2023-25 before transferring to the Badgers this past offseason. Sama had 140 carries for 732 yards and five touchdowns while splitting touches with Carson Hansen last season.

“(Sama) is dynamic and he’s got the ability to make you pay in space and he’s physical, can hit a home run on every run,” Campbell said.