Highs and Lows from Penn State's Blue-White Game
STATE COLLEGE | Penn State got out of Saturday's Blue-White Game dry and healthy, which made the day more successful than the early rain suggested. But head coach James Franklin still has issues to address before the Lions host West Virginia in the Sept. 2 opener.
What did we learn from the Blue-White Game? Here's a look.
Penn State's Defense Looms Large
The group looked far ahead of the offense Saturday, which isn't surprising for a team breaking in a new quarterback. Still, the Lions' second-team offense totaled 32 yards, lost 24 on the ground and might have allowed a dozen sacks at full speed.
This group is drenched in enough depth that it didn't even deploy potential starters Tyler Elsdon, Jaylen Reed, Hakeem Beamon and Coziah Izzard. Coordinator Manny Diaz will spend his summer devising a host of specialty looks to capitalize on his talent.
Dani Dennis-Sutton Is Ready to Break Out
The sophomore defensive end spent as much time in the backfield as Penn State's quarterbacks. He chased Beau Pribula too often to count and seems able to shift between speed and power rushes, making him a three-down threat. Franklin called Dennis-Sutton "unblockable."
"I think we could do some special things this year," Dennis-Sutton said of the defense.
Could Abdul Carter Play Defensive End?
The sophomore linebacker is listed at 6-3, 249 pounds on Penn State's roster. That's one pound more than end Adisa Isaac and just four fewer than all-conference end Chop Robinson. He's a sideline-to-sideline linebacker playing in a defensive end's body and could be the kind of weapon the Lions hoped Micah Parsons would become.
But for the 2019 Cotton Bowl, Penn State never really got the chance to move Parsons all over the field. Carter could do that this season.
"I think I can play anything," he said. "I feel like my pass-rush ability is really second to none, and I can play any position my coaches need me to play."
The Lions Need Impact Receivers
Franklin has pointed to KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Harrison Wallace III as the spring's most improved players at the position. And Omari Evans (five catches, 80 yards, one touchdown) was the Blue-White offensive star.
But the Lions still need impact receivers at all levels, not just the No. 3 spot. Kent State transfer Dante Cephas arrives this summer. Until then, Franklin wants the group on campus to get together with the quarterbacks often. He's also still looking in the portal, which reopens Sunday.
"We've just got to grind through it," the coach said, "and we can't throw enough. Our quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, we cannot throw enough all summer."
RELATED: Quarterback Drew Allar teases some new tools at the Blue-White Game
In Search of a Punter
Riley Thompson, a transfer from Florida Atlantic, landed a 62-yard punt as the day's special teams highlight. But that was it.
Franklin wasn't thrilled that fellow punters Alex Bacchetta and Mitchell Groh combined to average 34.2 yards on six attempts. Bacchetta, a redshirt freshman, averaged 33.4 yards on five punts, none of which was against a rush.
"We're basically punting on air with no rush, nothing, we should have been killing the ball," Franklin said. "So that's something we really got to work on, between now and West Virginia."
A Freshman to Watch
Penn State could unveil another freshman linebacker this season in Tony Rojas. The 6-2, 214-pound linebacker was credited with a game-high nine tackles and broke up a pass. He got plenty of work in the game and this spring aside Curtis Jacobs will be a candidate to burn his redshirt.
Franklin has noted that Rojas gained 29 pounds of good weight since enrolling in January, which hasn't seemed to impact his speed. He looked agile and even a little wired, jawing with some offensive players on occasion.
"He's going to be big-time for us," Carter said.
Who's Missing?
The Lions sat a number of potential starters, including left tackle Olu Fashanu, tight ends Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren, defensive tackles Hakeem Beamon and Coziah Izzard and safety Jaylen Reed.
Franklin said he expected all back for training camp.
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