Is Penn State changing plans for 1st-year players heading into Oregon game?

UNIVERSITY PARK — The current NCAA redshirt rules allow Penn State a lot of flexibility when deciding which first-year players will take the field in a given year. They can play up to four games and can participate in the postseason without burning the redshirt.

If the Nittany Lions make a run through the Big Ten and national championships, freshmen could play nine games and still preserve a fifth year of eligibility.

Three games into Penn State’s season and exiting a bye, it’s a good time to check in on the 2025 recruiting class.

James Franklin and his staff “green-lighted” two freshmen — cornerback Daryus Dixson and defensive end Chaz Coleman — to play from Day 1. There was also a long list of “yellow lights,” players who could realistically contribute, but they either weren’t quite there yet or played a loaded position where they aren’t as needed.

Franklin said Monday that things haven’t changed much since training camp for green lights: It’s still just Coleman and Dixson. But the list of yellow lights is becoming clearer.

Wide receiver Koby Howard, cornerback Jahmir Joseph, defensive end Yvan Kemajou and linebacker Alex Tatsch (Latrobe) are in the “next group” that would play if needed, Franklin said.

Kemajou is the only non-Coleman or Dixson freshman to play in all three games to this point. But that was partially a product of circumstance, as Penn State was without veteran Zuriah Fisher at defensive end in Week 1 and without redshirt freshman Mylachi Williams in Week 3.

In that audition, Kemajou made one tackle for loss while playing 55 snaps.

“Yvan is a guy right now that we have a lot of confidence in,” Franklin said. “He’s a smart guy, he’s a physical guy, he’s a trustworthy guy.”

But Franklin wasn’t ready to commit to a green light with Kemajou. That may be a bit surprising, as Penn State’s depth at defensive end was a major concern entering the year, thanks to the departure of Abdul Carter and Amin Vanover paired with an injury to Max Granville.

Franklin, though, said the staff’s internal evaluation of the position group was likely higher than those coming from outside the program this offseason. Having Fisher and Williams back healthy certainly boosts that depth, and it might mean we don’t see Kemajou much more until the postseason.

“We felt like they were young, but we felt like we were talented at that position,” Franklin said.

As for the other defensive yellow lights, Tatsch made his season debut against Villanova and stood out with three tackles, including one for loss. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said Tatsch could be a key rotational piece down the road because of his natural linebacker traits.

Joseph has played in two games, displaying a big body and physical nature that makes an argument for playing time. He also returned an interception for a touchdown against Villanova that turned heads. His potential contribution on special teams certainly makes him an intriguing option.

Defensive tackle Randy Adirika, though Franklin did not shout him out, has also played in two games thus far and has, at times, generated some buzz from the staff.

Offensively, Howard has played in just two games and does not yet have a catch. But Franklin said the staff has confidence in him, but it’s been an emphasis to keep the transfer trio of Kyron Hudson, Trebor Peña and Devonte Ross on the field as much as possible to build chemistry with Drew Allar.

No other offensive freshman has received a snap thus far, according to PFF.