3 things to watch during the Penn State football Blue/White game

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Today is an exciting day for Nittany Lion fans: the spring game. At 2:00 PM (EST), the Penn State football team will take the field for the first time since the Rose Bowl game on January 2nd for the annual Penn State Blue/White game at Beaver Stadium. Here are three things to watch during this afternoon’s contest.

Penn State Blue/White quarterback performances

One of the biggest storylines throughout spring ball has been the Penn State football quarterback battle between rising sophomores Drew Allar and Beau Pribula. Allar — the former No. 1 recruit in the nation — is the projected starter; according to James Franklin, there is no final decision at quarterback just yet.

Both quarterbacks bring different skillsets to the team: Allar has a massive frame, excellent pocket presence, and a cannon of an arm to match. On the other hand, Beau Pribula also boasts a great deal of arm talent, though he is much smaller and quicker, making him a great quarterback for RPOs.

We expect both quarterbacks to get in-game reps this fall, though today’s game could influence the battle moving forward. Drew Allar will be wearing No. 15 for the Blue team, and Beau Pribula will be wearing No. 9 for the White team.

The battle in the trenches

If Penn State football wants to finally break through its glass ceiling and push for the Big Ten title, the Nittany Lions will need to see improvements across the offensive and defensive lines. A season ago, James Franklin’s squad saw solid line play on both sides of the football — it was good enough to win 11 of the program’s 13 games, finish top 10, and win the Rose Bowl.

This year, Penn State’s revamped offensive line will be looking to take the next step for year one of the Drew Allar era. This fall, the Penn State football offense will only be as good as the big men up front, and according to Kaytron Allen, there isn’t a better unit in the country.

On the other side of the football, Penn State is heading into the Blue/White game with solid pass rushers and complete defense. That being said, there are a lot of questions regarding the Nittany Lions’ depth at defensive tackle. One name that has been mentioned a lot is sophomore tackle Zane Durant — keep an eye on him and the interior defensive linemen during today’s contest.

The kicking/punting battles

It has not been a significant storyline thus far, though Penn State football will be looking to replace it’s starting kicker and punter from the 2022 season. On top of that, the Lions will have a new long snapper, which means there could be some special teams mishaps early on in the year.

Keep an eye on all special teams units — especially the kickers and punters — during the Penn State Blue/White game. According to James Franklin, he was pleased with the battle throughout spring ball, meaning today should give fans a good indication of who will be stepping up this fall.

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