Penn State Begins Spring Practice With High Expectations
James Franklin begins Year 10 at Penn State on Tuesday, when the team opens spring drills ahead of the 2023 season. After an 11-2 campaign and a Rose Bowl victory, the Lions embark on a fresh pursuit to return to the Big Ten championship game.
Franklin's team lost some exceptional defensive talent and an assertive leadership group that kept the locker room pitched forward. But the Lions also return a cache of young talent, notably on offense, and will debut a new starting quarterback for the first time since 2019.
The Lions bring plenty of firepower, and some questions, to spring drills, which culminate with the April 15 Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. We've explored these prospects position by position in our State of Penn State series. Here's a look.
At quarterback, Penn State bids farewell to record-setting passer Sean Clifford but looks eagerly to 5-star recruit Drew Allar, who got more playing time last season than the usual backup. It's a thin room with just three scholarship quarterbacks but one that Franklin really likes. Don't be surprised if redshirt freshman Beau Pribula pushes Allar a bit.
The running back position returns freshmen Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who combined for more than 1,900 yards rushing and established the room as among the nation's best. Again, there's little depth but plenty of promise.
Penn State made big changes at wide receiver, hiring new coach Marques Hagans and bringing in two transfers in Dante Cephus and Malik McClain. Franklin expects much more from this position, which he made clear this offseason.
Though Brenton Strange is gone, Penn State's tight ends room is sturdy with Theo Johnson, Tyler Warren and player-to-watch Khalil Dinkins.
The offensive line staged a huge turnaround last season and, by returning six linemen with starting experience, is poised to get even better. Olu Fashanu's presence this spring, after he sustained a season-ending injury, will be something to watch.
The defensive line will get a new coach and new dominant voice with PJ Mustipher's departure. But those ends (Adisa Isaac, Chop Robinson and Dani Dennis-Sutton) will be disruptive.
Curtis Jacobs and Abdul Carter lead a linebacker group that made strides but still has some ground to cover. True freshman Tony Rojas garnered plenty of attention during winter workouts. Can he make a spring splash?
The secondary loses two of the team's best players in Joey Porter Jr. and Ji'Ayir Brown. But cornerback Kalen King is another first-round draft prospect, and the position depth is remarkable.
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
