I was going to make this a column, but it's a little informal. In any case, a few players and positions I'll keep an eye on tomorrow. Who will you be watching?
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At this point, the annual scrimmage known as the Blue-White Game has genuinely become more of the event denoted by "Blue-White Weekend" than any valuable football contest.
Between a packed downtown scene, the yearly spring pilgrimage of thousands of Nittany Lion fans awaiting a football fix that can't be fully satisfied until September, and what will undoubtedly be a packed tailgating scene leading into Saturday's late 4 p.m. start, the vibe is more celebratory than anything else.
Even in terms of actual football, for as game-like as Penn State's coaches would like to treat Saturday's scrimmage, the 13 practices already held this spring - with a final "dress rehearsal" this afternoon - are undoubtedly as or more important than anything that will play out at Beaver Stadium.
Preamble complete, there will still be plenty of football to take an interest in Saturday afternoon. Here's a quick look at the names and faces I'll be paying closest attention to:
1) All of the running backs. But, in particular, Mark Allen.
While Christian Hackenberg took a bit of a whipping boy role last year in the midst of Penn State's offensive struggles (OK, maybe tied with or second to only John Donovan and the offensive line) Penn State had a pretty big, less noticed problem at running back. Pretty simply, they didn't have much of a reliable game-in, game-out threat in the backfield.
With Mark Allen, Nick Scott and Johnathan Thomas losing their redshirts this year - even with Akeel Lynch expected to be the horse - Saturday represents a first real glimpse at what these guys bring to the table.
Almost unanimously, the word coming out of spring practice is that the position itself is going to see an overall upgrade, partially aided obviously by the expected upgrades along the offensive line. But of those upgrades, Allen is the kid who most earned the "pleasant surprise" moniker behind the scenes.
Reportedly among the best pass protectors on the team, he's a fearless blocker, has great football IQ and as the experience has come, so has the game slowed down. Good quickness, vision, change of direction and "make you miss" are all areas that were missing in combination last year. In Allen, they might not be anymore.
2) This might have been worth putting earlier in the column, but there is a pretty high probability that reliable names and faces are going to be missing from action for much or all of Saturday's scrimmage, whether due to injury, sheer precaution, or simply knowing what they have at the respective position.
In any case, of the ones to watch I'm expecting to see decent action, defensive ends Carl Nassib and Garrett Sickels are toward the top of my list.
Not that there will be any mind-blowing sacks - there inevitably won't be - but everyone will be able to take a quick mental comparison between the losses of C.J. Olaniyan and Deion Barnes in the context of the guys slated to take over at end.
The positive news for Penn State fans here is that internally, the feeling is very much that there won't be a drop-off from last year to this, especially with a pair like Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel still manning the interior. Throw in a closer look at Evan Schwan and Curtis Cothran, plus a first real opportunity to see Torrence Brown in action, and the direction of the unit could at least start to take clearer shape Saturday.
3) This one probably could have gone as 1A, but kickers get no love, just blame when things go wrong.
Enter Joey Julius.
In what will be a pre-game kicking contest, Julius gets his first opportunity to show his stuff following a spring practice in which he garnered some real internal confidence within the program. Kickoffs and punts are still going to be a concern that aren't likely to completely alleviate themselves before the start of the 2015 season, but if Julius can be strong with field goals he'll shore up a part of the game this team came to rely on last season and is likely to rely on again this year.
Long story short, without making the type of strides that are going to separate Penn State significantly from the opponents that kept nearly every game a tight contest a year ago, Julius' leg is likely to decide some games this season.
Saturday will be an early opportunity to see where he is at in his development.
****
At this point, the annual scrimmage known as the Blue-White Game has genuinely become more of the event denoted by "Blue-White Weekend" than any valuable football contest.
Between a packed downtown scene, the yearly spring pilgrimage of thousands of Nittany Lion fans awaiting a football fix that can't be fully satisfied until September, and what will undoubtedly be a packed tailgating scene leading into Saturday's late 4 p.m. start, the vibe is more celebratory than anything else.
Even in terms of actual football, for as game-like as Penn State's coaches would like to treat Saturday's scrimmage, the 13 practices already held this spring - with a final "dress rehearsal" this afternoon - are undoubtedly as or more important than anything that will play out at Beaver Stadium.
Preamble complete, there will still be plenty of football to take an interest in Saturday afternoon. Here's a quick look at the names and faces I'll be paying closest attention to:
1) All of the running backs. But, in particular, Mark Allen.
While Christian Hackenberg took a bit of a whipping boy role last year in the midst of Penn State's offensive struggles (OK, maybe tied with or second to only John Donovan and the offensive line) Penn State had a pretty big, less noticed problem at running back. Pretty simply, they didn't have much of a reliable game-in, game-out threat in the backfield.
With Mark Allen, Nick Scott and Johnathan Thomas losing their redshirts this year - even with Akeel Lynch expected to be the horse - Saturday represents a first real glimpse at what these guys bring to the table.
Almost unanimously, the word coming out of spring practice is that the position itself is going to see an overall upgrade, partially aided obviously by the expected upgrades along the offensive line. But of those upgrades, Allen is the kid who most earned the "pleasant surprise" moniker behind the scenes.
Reportedly among the best pass protectors on the team, he's a fearless blocker, has great football IQ and as the experience has come, so has the game slowed down. Good quickness, vision, change of direction and "make you miss" are all areas that were missing in combination last year. In Allen, they might not be anymore.
2) This might have been worth putting earlier in the column, but there is a pretty high probability that reliable names and faces are going to be missing from action for much or all of Saturday's scrimmage, whether due to injury, sheer precaution, or simply knowing what they have at the respective position.
In any case, of the ones to watch I'm expecting to see decent action, defensive ends Carl Nassib and Garrett Sickels are toward the top of my list.
Not that there will be any mind-blowing sacks - there inevitably won't be - but everyone will be able to take a quick mental comparison between the losses of C.J. Olaniyan and Deion Barnes in the context of the guys slated to take over at end.
The positive news for Penn State fans here is that internally, the feeling is very much that there won't be a drop-off from last year to this, especially with a pair like Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel still manning the interior. Throw in a closer look at Evan Schwan and Curtis Cothran, plus a first real opportunity to see Torrence Brown in action, and the direction of the unit could at least start to take clearer shape Saturday.
3) This one probably could have gone as 1A, but kickers get no love, just blame when things go wrong.
Enter Joey Julius.
In what will be a pre-game kicking contest, Julius gets his first opportunity to show his stuff following a spring practice in which he garnered some real internal confidence within the program. Kickoffs and punts are still going to be a concern that aren't likely to completely alleviate themselves before the start of the 2015 season, but if Julius can be strong with field goals he'll shore up a part of the game this team came to rely on last season and is likely to rely on again this year.
Long story short, without making the type of strides that are going to separate Penn State significantly from the opponents that kept nearly every game a tight contest a year ago, Julius' leg is likely to decide some games this season.
Saturday will be an early opportunity to see where he is at in his development.
