For Penn State, a 'Crazy' Blue-White Recruiting Schedule
Penn State's Blue-White Game might be more reserved on the field Saturday, at least from a competition perspective, but the atmosphere should be charged after a two-year break. And that's great news for Penn State recruiting.
"There's excitement again, there’s buzz, and that’s part of the secret sauce of Penn State," associate head coach Terry Smith said, "to have the opportunity to go in Beaver Stadium and play in front of our fans. We're expecting 60-70,000. It's going to be a wonderful day."
The Blue-White Game returns to Beaver Stadium on Saturday for the first time since 2019 after COVID-19 canceled it in 2020 and limited crowds last year. The start time is 2 p.m., and Big Ten Network will provide live coverage.
Fans likely won't see a traditional scrimmage format, as head coach James Franklin has said that depth issues have limited the offensive line this spring. As a result, Franklin said that Penn State will weave non-tackle (or thud) and special teams periods around live scrimmaging Saturday. The scoring likely will pit offense vs. defense, a format former coach Bill O'Brien used as head coach.
But the practice's configuration matters little compared to the mood, particularly when recruiting is involved. Penn State had not hosted prospects on campus during spring practice since 2019, so the program plans to make up for lost time this weekend.
"Literally, if you saw my calendar, it's crazy," Franklin said. "Friday's crazy, Saturday's crazy, Sunday's crazy. We have official visits as well. There's a lot of different things going on."
Penn State is recruiting for the 2023 class, which ranks sixth nationally according to 247Sports, and the 2024 class. In fact, one of the top visitors is California's Julian Sayin, a 247Sports 5-star composite prospect and the nation's No. 3 quarterback in the 2024 class. Franklin said that Penn State will host several players on official visits and others on unofficial visits.
"I think it will be great," Franklin said. "Obviously last year getting fans back was big. Being able to have a traditional spring game like we’ve had here in the past — we've had anywhere between 60-75,000 fans — is great for the community, for the hotels, the restaurants, the bars. It's been a real positive for a number of reasons besides just Penn State football. It's important to the entire community and the university as a whole."
Penn State has been hosting recruits throughout spring practice, which offers distinct benefits. Players receive more one-on-one time with Franklin and the staff and get a better backstage look at the program. However, the spring game affords recruits a larger glimpse at the energy surrounding the program.
"It gives you the closes thing to a game weekend that you have," Franklin said of the Blue-White Game. "I'd make the argument that some of the practices are really impactful as well because you get more time with [recruiting visitors]. ... There's tremendous value coming out here to practice, where you get a little bit more individual interaction.
"But the energy of a spring game — the tailgating, the RVs — as we all know, we're special. We're one of the special places in the country because of all those things, so it's great for these guys to be able to experience it."
Smith, one of Penn State's key recruiters, said that the program's weekend recruiting list "is deep, as it should be." Smith also engaged in a bit of showmanship.
"We're going to put on a great show," he said, "and show everybody what '22 is about to be."
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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.
