Penn State Football will turn the page from spring practices to preparation for the upcoming 2024 season during the annual Blue-White spring game.
Following an offseason of changes for head coach James Franklin‘s program, the Nittany Lions will be breaking in two new coordinators; Andy Kotelnicki calling the offense and Tom Allen taking the reins of the defense, along with newcomers Julian Fleming, A.J. Harris, and Nolan Rucci among a star-studded group of transfer portal additions.
While it’s likely to be a bit of a limited playbook, and the spring game typically is a proving ground for the young players on the roster, here’s a look at what we hope to see during the Blue-White Game.
A competent offense with accurate and easy passes that give the receiver a chance to make a play in space and use their athleticism.
Cam Wallace, not expecting a lot of Singleton and Allen today and they should keep it on the ground often with the windy conditions.
The biggest storyline will be the defense is still the heartbeat of the team and will carry them this season.
What I’d like to see during the Blue-White game is that everyone leave the field healthy. That’s always my biggest concern in a exhibition game. Aside from that I’d like to see how well Beau Pribula does with extended snaps playing at “live” speed. He only threw 22 passes last season, completing 11 of them and four for touchdowns. Not bad but it’s a ver small sample size and while I don’t take very much from Spring Training, or Pre-season or games that don’t count, I think it will be a small barometer for the sophomore to grade his progress, his throws, his command of the offense and his poise, considering there’s a bit of an anti-Allar mob out there cloaked in Blue and White Will a slight groundswell and some momentum behind it.
I cannot wait to see AJ Harris line up on Saturdays and dare opposing quarterbacks to throw his way and with a newly designed offense courtesy of Penn State’s new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, you will probably see some throws designed for his side, even if just to test the designated quarterback to see if he can smell a predator in disguise over on the right side of the opposing secondary.
I think the biggest storyline of the game will be one of a manufactured quarterback controversy. I think both quarterbacks will push the other and their “healthy” competition will be on full display this afternoon and will likely stir up some noise within Nittany Nation as there is already a fan base somewhat divided on who should be QB1 for the Lions next season.
The mission for the program on Saturday should be to get all of the players out of the game without suffering any injuries and fully healthy heading into summer training camp.
Julian Fleming. After the debacle that was the 2023 season, we need to see someone, anyone step up as an impact wide receiver.
Drew Allar looks sharp and the offense looks completely revamped under Kotelnicki.
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