Penn State's defense is looking for a major rebound in 2026. The Nittany Lions surrendered 20.5 points per game last year, their highest total since the 2020 shortened season. One of the biggest reasons for the struggles was the linebacker room, which lost star Tony Rojas to injury in late September. After Rojas, the group was not deep at all. This year, however, the linebacker room might be the best defensive unit on the team. And Iowa State transfer Caleb Bacon will be a large part of that.