Five things to watch for in Penn State's Blue-White Game

Penn State football closes the spring camp season on Saturday with the annual Blue-White Game. While preparing the festivities for pre and post-game, Blue White Illustrated is here to help you with what happens on the field, starting at 2 pm. So while there are hundreds of things to watch on Saturday, let’s dive into five things I’ll be keen to learn on Saturday. 

5. Kaleb Artis and the Penn State defensive tackles

The defensive tackle situation is muddy this spring, thanks to injuries at the position. But in the meantime, it will be a good chance to get a view of players we haven’t seen much of so far in their careers. Redshirt freshman Kaleb Artis is an intriguing player at 6-4 and 315 pounds, and he’s a quality athlete for his size. But his learning curve from high school was longer than some of his teammates. His name has come up several times as a player stepping up and performing this offseason. 

Saturday won’t answer the question of “how much” he’s progressed in relation to fall playtime, but we can fill in some of the pieces. 

Similarly, Saturday will be an excellent chance to see how fellow defensive tackle Zane Durant has progressed. The fire-hydrant tackle played well last year, eventually working his way into sub-packages as a pass rusher. How much can he contribute on an early down basis this year? Again, getting a glimpse of his current play can help set a new baseline.  

4. Linebacker shuffle 

We’re likely to learn less about this situation than anyone on the list. Penn State’s two best linebackers essentially play the same position. So how does defensive coordinator Manny Diaz plan on working Abdul Carter and Curtis Jacobs into the lineup consistently? Most of that will be kept secret until the regular season, but not all of it. How much do we see Carter at middle linebacker? Can Jacobs play that position on third down? Filling in some gaps will help set a structure as we advance. 

Additionally, freshman Tony Rojas has progressed faster than anyone expected this spring. But what does that look like in real life? His speed on the field opens up even more possibilities for Diaz to shuffle around his linebackers. 

3. Wide receiver combinations

A similar situation exists at wide receiver. Head coach James Franklin has called for more significant plays from his receiver this year, especially on the outside. So, who lines up out wide, and who is in the slot? Top receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith can play either position, but without transfer Dante Cephas on campus, it’s hard to draw too many firm conclusions from what we see Saturday. 

Still, slot receiver feels like a secondary concern compared to the outside receivers. Last season Penn State struggled to get players open in man coverage on the outside. So finding a player “to break a tackle and go 80”, as Franklin described this spring, is mission-critical. 

2. Offensive line shuffle 

The Blue-White Game is always a fun experiment in “Wait, who is that?” no matter the position. But it’s made additionally tricky when players are moving between expected positions. This happens along the offensive line more than anywhere else, and it’s on purpose. So spring is a great time to find out who can play an additional position and who needs to stick at one spot. 

For example, Penn State is trying to find depth at tackle this spring. So which interior player will get the chance to take snaps at tackle? Last season Landon Tengwall was that player in the modified scrimmage. This year I expect to see much more of that. Vega Ionae, Drew Shelton, and JB Nelson are the names to watch moving around the line.

1. Drew Allar vs. the Penn State secondary

Penn State’s five-star quarterback gets his first extended ‘starting’ experience in front of fans on Saturday. While there’s still technically a quarterback competition between Drew Allar and fellow passer Beau Pribula, Allar is the anointed starter by most. 

Watching how he performs against a stingy Penn State secondary will be fun. Allar has the tools to beat cornerbacks like Kalen King, who should push for All-American status this fall. But that doesn’t mean he will wow everyone on Saturday. Instead, the general vibe around this topic should be enthusiastic curiosity to see more of what makes Allar tick as a quarterback. Most assume they know what they’re getting in the 6-5 passer, but none of us, outside the coaching staff, really do.