| Penn State’s quarterback situation remains unsettled this spring. Photo: Kevin McGuire |
Fans will finally get a glimpse in to what the new era of Penn State football will look like this weekend, when Penn State concludes their spring practice schedule with their annual Blue White Game. With new head coach Bill O’Brien generating a positive vibe out of State College the future of the program may be in better hands than expected, although that will remain to be seen for the fall when we can see O’Brien coach a game.
While the theme has been change and a breath of fresh air for the football program, many side themes remained the same. A quarterback competition for a third straight season has been the major story in State College, while players returning from injuries has been another.
Penn State’s Blue White Game will start at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, and will be available to watch on Big Ten Network. Here are five things to watch for the game.
1. Will Paul Jones emerge as the leading quarterback?
Penn State’s quarterback competition is heating up this spring, which has been the case each of the past two seasons. This spring the battle between Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin has continued, but with a twist. Paul Jones, finally eligible for playing time after a red-shirt freshman season and being academically ineligible his sophomore season, may be the best quarterback on the roster. With a strong showing in the Blue White Game there is an opinion that Jones could make a solid case to be considered to be named the starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions in the fall.
Of course, Bolden has started each of the past two seasons as the starting quaterback, and McGloin has ended them with bowl losses. Bill O’Brien is giving everyone a clean slate this spring, and he is not looking at game film from last fall. Will Jones take advantage of the opportunity?
2. Tight end position placed under the microscope
Much has been made about how Penn State’s offense will focus on getting the tight ends more involved under the new offensive style O’Brien brings to the program. Even the players have shown excitement about playing the same offensive system that has been used with the New England Patriots in recent years. But does Penn State have the tight ends to duplicate at least a portion of that success?
Penn State expects Garry Gilliam to return from injury in the fall and be a significant contributor in the new offense. Gilliam’s time at Penn State has been plagued by injury but O’Brien seems to like what he has been doing this spring. Kevin Haplea and Jesse James have also received praise from O’Brien this spring, and all three players could be utilized in various packages. With receiver Devon Smith injured and out for the game, look to see if the trend of passing to tight ends becomes more routine.
3. Welcome back defensive end Pete Massaro
Few players have battled as much as defensive end Pete Massaro. A victim of two season-ending injuries during spring practices, Massaro has battled back to show O’Brien just what kind of value he can bring to the defensive end position. Massaro may be used sparingly Saturday, just because of his health history, but he has been practicing in contact drills this spring and is said to be about 80-85 percent in his recovery. If Massaro is fully recovered for the fall, Penn State could receive a nice boost at the defensive end position.
4. How much stronger is the offensive line?
One of the big changes that has been emphasized this spring has been the change in weight training at Penn State. Bill O’Brien brought in new strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald, from South Carolina, and he has brought with him an entirely new training program for the players. By all accounts the new training appears to be showing some positive results. Coaches and players alike have noted that the difference in the players has been very noticeable, and the offensive linemen appear to be the biggest benefactors. Defensive linemen have noted that their counterparts on offense have shown dramatic change and have pushed them more this spring than ever before.
That news should be encouraging for Penn State fans, who have seen the offensive line been a rather inconsistent unit in recent years, unable to provide much of a push when needed in short-yardage situations.
5. Who steps up in the secondary?
Penn State’s defensive situatio in the back field is going to be a bit of a mystery this season. After losing three starters (Drew Astorino, Nick Sukay, Chaz Powell), Penn State has some holes to fill at defensive back and safety. For a unit that allowed 12 touchdown passes and came up with 14 interceptions last season, even after blowout losses to Wisconsin and Houston, there is no doubt this will be a legitimate concern for the new coaching staff.
Stephon Morris will likely be the player with the most experience at corner back, while Mike Wallace and Curtis Drake will battle for the other corner position that is vacant. At safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong and Malcolm Willis will look to take the lead for the two starting jobs at the safety positions. One name to watch though il be sophomore Adrian Amos. Amos showed some good things as a freshman in his limited role, and could push some of the more veteran players for a spot on the field by the time fall comes around.
Kevin McGuire is the host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast and managing editor of Nittany Lion’s Den. Follow Kevin on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
