This is the first in a series of 2026 Penn State football position previews.
Penn State’s special teams unit ranked No. 1 nationally by some metrics in 2025, and it’s hard to argue given the success in all departments.
For the Nittany Lions to replicate last year’s success, retaining special teams coordinator Justin Lustig and starting kicker Ryan Barker can’t be understated.
Since arriving from Vanderbilt, Lustig spearheaded a quick turnaround, and the future of the room appears bright after he was retained by head coach Matt Campbell.
Barker — whose return for his redshirt junior campaign was potentially overlooked — was one of the most efficient kickers in the country last season, converting on 18 of 19 field goals for a single-season program record at 94.7%.
Since taking over as a starter early in the 2024 campaign, he’s converted 33 of 37 tries with just two misses inside of 50 yards. The only thing preventing him from earning more national buzz is his number of attempts being relatively low compared to others.
The punting situation is entirely different, as both Gabe Nwosu and Riley Thompson — collective starters for the last three seasons — have moved on. Looking to fill their shoes is Mississippi State transfer Nathan Tiyce, who has just 12 career boots for an average of 39 yards, including a long of 54.
Additionally, place kicker Cristiano Rosa was brought in from James Madison via the transfer portal and is expected to serve as the team’s kickoff specialist, a position primarily manned by Nwosu last season.
At long snapper, Blaise Sokach-Minnick is expected to claim the starting role following the departure of Tyler Duzansky, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason as an undrafted free agent.
Both kick and punt return spots are up for grabs, with Nick Singleton, Corey Smith, Trebor Peña, Devonte Ross and King Mack all departing this offseason, leaving no returners with substantial experience.
Potential options at returner include running backs James Peoples, Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace and wide receivers Zay Robinson, Koby Howard and Karon Brookins, though there’s been little insight into both roles thus far.
