Campbell says Koby Howard remains weeks away as Penn State prepares for USC

Penn State will head into its October 10 White Out against USC without Koby Howard, whose recovery remains several weeks from a return. Matt Campbell supplied that timeline at his Tuesday press conference as the Nittany Lions prepared to respond to consecutive Big Ten defeats.

Howard is improving, Campbell said in the school’s published transcript, but the coach described him as “still a couple weeks away.” Campbell gave no firm return date. A later game on the schedule should not be treated as a commitment that Howard will be cleared to play.

The injury has removed Penn State’s most productive early-season receiver. Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record reported that Howard hurt his lower body on a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Buffalo on September 19. Before leaving the lineup, Howard had caught 12 passes for 344 yards, averaging 28.7 yards per reception.

That production provides context for the offense’s recent struggles. Bodani reported that Penn State generated only one play longer than 20 yards in each of its losses to Wisconsin and Northwestern. Howard had supplied a receiver capable of producing much larger gains during the opening stretch of the season.

Campbell also pointed to the consistency Howard brought to his assignments and the matchups Penn State created to get him involved. With Howard absent, Campbell praised Chase Sowell’s execution and mentioned tight end Benjamin Brahmer among the players contributing. Sowell has caught 11 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown over the past two games, according to Bodani.

Howard’s absence is one part of a wider offensive problem. In the same press conference, Campbell discussed inconsistent blocking and a running game that has fallen short of his expectations. He emphasized identifying the schemes Penn State can execute consistently and correcting those problems in practice while preparing for USC.

Onward State’s report places Howard’s absence across the opening conference losses and confirms that he remains unavailable for the upcoming home game. Tuesday’s update leaves Penn State relying on its current receivers against USC while Howard continues his recovery.