Penn State's Matt Campbell flags linebacker depth concerns ahead of Michigan trip

Penn State is heading to Ann Arbor with a short linebacker room and a run game it is still trying to figure out. Head coach Matt Campbell spent Tuesday's weekly press conference on both problems as the Nittany Lions get ready for Saturday's game at Michigan.

Speaking from the Beaver Stadium media room, Campbell said he is worried about depth at linebacker, according to On3's live coverage from Nate Bauer. He called Alex Tatsch's situation tough. There was some better news on Cam Smith, who is working back into practice this week and could be available Saturday. Campbell said he had seen the group as a healthy room before injuries thinned it out. He added that whether players are available is a big part of what matters right now.

Help further out is on the way, but not for this game. Campbell said Koby Howard is working hard to get back and called him a post-bye-week conversation. He put LaVar Arrington II in the same category, saying Arrington is trending toward a return after the bye.

On offense, Campbell said Penn State has not settled on a running identity. He said the team came out of fall camp believing it was one thing and has found it is not, and he called consistency the missing piece. Asked why the Lions are not getting explosive runs, he said several plays were blocked well but came apart on details, with one player off his assignment. In his view the margin is inches, not big gaps. He also liked how the backfield rotation is shaping up. Carson Hansen has been productive inside the 20, James has added some explosive runs, and both have contributed as receivers and in pass protection.

Campbell also explained the timeouts Penn State used on substitutions. He said the first came from a mechanical issue that the Big Ten acknowledged it got wrong. He said the second, in the third quarter, came from a late substitution by the coaches. On the third, during a punt situation, he said he chose not to take a risk on personnel. He said the coaching has to be better and that it starts with him.

Penn State also made it official this week that defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn is moving from the coaches' booth to the sideline. Campbell said Lynn gives the staff a voice of continuity on the field and noted the defense made good adjustments during the last game.

The Lions are 3-3 coming off a loss to USC at the White Out, and Saturday's trip will show a lot about this team. Campbell said Penn State will learn a lot about its leadership and toughness on the road, at a place that has been hard on the program.

The game against 3-2 Michigan kicks off at 3:30 p.m. EDT on CBS. Michigan is favored at -217 on Novig, one of the venues listing the game, and the best sportsbook price on the Wolverines is -220 at FanDuel. The spread is Michigan -6.5 and the total is 42.5. Full pricing is on the game page.