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Penn State’s spring practice comes to an end with a slightly different Blue and White game than we’re used to.
It’s over friends! Penn State has officially wrapped up its spring practice season, and with that came the Blue and White game. As always, the game is more of an exhibition for the fans, and this year was no different. While some aspects of the game were a given, others brought some intrigue. Here are a few things that stood out, from this humble writer’s perspective:
They’re going to run run
Youngsters Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen looked pretty good. Both got some time to showcase their talents, and were able to show why they were rated as highly as they were out of high school. Allen especially looks better than advertised, taking some handoffs and bursting through almost immediately.
Not to be outdone, both Keyvone Lee and Devyn Ford looked like improved versions of themselves in the time they got. Lee was decisive in his runs, opting for forward progress over a potential big gain. Meanwhile, Ford had a couple of massive runs that put the Penn State offense in great scoring position.
Line is a work in progress
As expected, both lines were going to be a work in progress coming into this game. The defensive line did some good things, and should settle into form pretty quickly come fall camp.
The offensive line, of course, was more of a liability. We already knew they were limited due to being banged up, but to their credit, they looked like an actual work in progress and not the absolute disaster that we saw at times last season. If they can continue to make strides, it’s even possible we’ll even see a mediocre line come fall, as opposed to the dumpster fire we’re used to seeing!
Young QBs need time
Both Beau Pribula and Drew Allar made some jarring mistakes, which is expected from guys just out of college. Both also showed flashes at times, a sign that with enough time, they’ll be ready to let it fly. On the older side, both Sean Clifford and Christian Veilleux looked pretty sharp, which bodes well given the rawness we saw out of the younger guys.
Keep the format
While not exactly the same, the “offense vs defense” format reminds me of the Bill O’Brien era, where the former coach did something similar in the game. Instead of splitting into two distinct teams, Franklin opted for a simpler approach, where everyone on offense played everyone on defense, and the scoring system awarded points to the defense based on plays they made.
I personally like this format a lot better, and hope they keep it in the future.
Kicking game might be fine?
Jake Pinegar and Sander Sahaydak took turns taking on kicking duties, and both looked pretty good doing so. Gabriel Nwosu has a leg on him as well, as his punts not only traveled, but hung for quite a while, giving the team ample time to arrive prior to the ball landing.
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By: misdreavus79
Title: Quick Takeaways From Blue And White Game
Sourced From: www.blackshoediaries.com/2022/4/23/23038888/penn-state-football-quick-takeaways-from-blue-and-white-game
Published Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2022 21:30:00 +0000
