Penn State football made the most of the late transfer portal window this spring, adding two of the nation’s top available prospects in receiver Trebor Pena and linebacker Amare Campbell. But the spring arrival also presents potential challenges for the Nittany Lion newcomers, shortening the timeline to get up to speed within the program.
With summer workouts winding down and training camp now on the horizon, the Nittany Lions are pleased with the strides both Pena and Campbell have made in the weeks since arriving on campus.
“I mean, priority number one is just to get them comfortable within our team and getting them fit into our culture,” strength coach Chuck Losey said last week. “That’s always going to be priority number one for us. We knew who they were from an athlete standpoint. Athletically, we knew what their capabilities were – both of them.
“Pena, I knew that we could make jumps in speed and his ability to be dynamic on the field. I watched his film, saw what his baseline measurables were when they first came in, and we’d been able to increase his outputs on everything this summer. So, I’m really excited to see where he tests out next week. I think he’s going to test really well.
“And then the same thing with Amare. Amare was a little bit different situation. Combo position player, probably came in a little bit more under-conditioned than Pena. So, what I’m excited about Amare is that he’s been able to put five or six pounds on since he’s been here. But he’s also been able to drop points off of his body fat percentage.
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“So again, it goes back to moving efficiency for our guys. I’m happy with both of them. They fit in well with the culture. From a performance profiling standpoint. I mean, they fit right in with the guys. So I’m happy with them.”
Penn State staff’s scouting reduces hurdles for late roster additions
Pena and Campbell arrived to much acclaim after breakout seasons in 2024. Slotting into soft spots in the Nittany Lions’ roster, the pair of transfers could become the difference between another playoff run that falls painfully short or a national title berth in January.
Despite its prominent emergence in the new era of college football, Penn State has opted to use the portal strategically in recent years. As a result, onboarding late transfers into the program is a simpler process than it may be elsewhere.
“It’s condensed compared to [when we have] months,” Losey said. “But again, it just goes back to even though they may have gotten here later. We’ve done our research on the guys. We know who they are when they come in. You know, as soon as they do sign with us, we’re in contact with them, getting them ready.
“So, you know, it depends on who they are, what the expectation is for the year, but we also have a good idea of who we’re bringing in, and as long as they’ve got the right mindset, the right work ethic, you know, the timeline that’s given over the summer is plenty of time to generate, especially for the transfers.”
Penn State kicks off the 2025 season in 41 days against Nevada.
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