Coaches are always looking for ways to maximize their players’ strengths.
Penn State head coach Matt Campbell is no exception.
One of the biggest takeaways from Campbell’s time coaching Caleb Bacon at Iowa State was discovering just how disruptive the versatile defender could be as a pass rusher.
“We felt like we gave him so many reps in the spring at linebacker, we’d be missing the boat not to start him off in fall camp on the EDGE,” Campbell said.
That role is where Bacon has flourished.
According to Pro Football Focus, Bacon posted a 14.5% pressure rate as an off-ball linebacker at Iowa State last season. For perspective, a 15% pressure rate is considered elite, making Bacon’s production especially impressive considering he wasn’t a full-time edge rusher.
That success is a major reason Campbell is giving him extended work at defensive end during Penn State’s fall camp.
“As we kind of got through spring, we kind of felt like, man, we’d be missing the boat not to add his multiplicity. He’s a great edge player. He certainly has the ability to slide back and play Mike or Will linebacker at times as well because he’s great in coverage. He’s a smart football player,” Campbell said.
Bacon led Iowa State with three sacks in 2025 while finishing second on the team with 16 quarterback pressures and 9.5 tackles for loss, showcasing his ability to consistently disrupt opposing offenses.
“Yeah, I think it kind of started as maybe more of that in-between position. We’ll see how it progresses through fall camp,” Bacon said during Penn State’s recent local media day.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“I think Coach Campbell, even at Iowa State, brought that up to me. He really liked me as a pass rusher there, both in ’23 and ’25 when I played. I feel like that was even with very minimal coaching in the pass-rush game. I didn’t really work with the D-line there much. A lot of it was just effort, attitude and rushing.
“I worked with them a little bit, but not too much. Being in the D-line room here has opened things up a little bit more, learning different techniques from guys like Coach C (Christian Smith) and Coach (Ikaika) Malloe. I feel like that’s really helped me so far in fall camp.”
Despite his expanded role on the edge, Bacon knows linebacker remains part of his future, and he understands the expectations that come with wearing a Penn State uniform.
“Coach Connor really emphasized it when we came here. Really, the first week we were here, he talked to us and said, ‘You’re at LBU now. You’re going to have high expectations. You’re going to have a spotlight on you a little bit.’
“He really emphasized embracing it and knowing that you’re going to have to work extra hard now. You’ve got to put your foot on the gas pedal and keep working from here.
“You don’t want to only focus on that. You still want to focus on your growth and the team’s growth, but he definitely emphasized that it’s a big part of coming here.”
Bacon also proved to be one of Iowa State’s best run defenders, earning a 74.1 Pro Football Focus run-defense grade, the highest among the Cyclones’ front-seven defenders with at least 250 snaps.
With new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn expected to feature multiple fronts and creative pressure packages, Bacon’s versatility could become one of the biggest assets on Penn State’s defense. Whether he’s lining up at linebacker or coming off the edge, Campbell appears determined to make sure the Nittany Lions don’t “miss the boat” on one of their most versatile defenders.
