Penn State's Matt Campbell Calls Blue-White Game 'Critically Important'

STATE COLLEGE | Matt Campbell said Penn State will host a Blue-White Game in some form this spring, though he and Athletic Director Pat Kraft haven't confirmed details yet of what that will look like. However, the Nittany Lions' new coach called the event "critically important" for his team and its fans.

"I think it's really important for our kids to be in that stadium with our fans," Campbell said Wednesday at Beaver Stadium in his first media availability since his December introduction. "I don't want the first time that [quarterback] Rocco Becht throws a pass to be his first game in there with fans. I think it's really important for this team to be able to get out there."

Penn State has yet to release details of when it might host the annual Blue-White Weekend, which normally takes place in mid- to late-April. Penn State held the 2025 Blue-White scrimmage April 26. Campbell said that he and Kraft expect to announce further details next week.

Campbell spent the past two months rebuilding a Penn State football roster that lost more than 70 players to graduation, the NFL and the transfer portal. Campbell retained more than 50 players from Penn State's roster while adding 55. That includes 40 from the portal, 24 of whom played for him at Iowa State last year.

Multiple players are recovering from injuries as well. Becht, for instance, had offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. New Penn State quarterbacks coach Jake Waters said that Becht is ahead of schedule and will be throwing by the middle of spring drills.

"We've got a lot of guys coming off of injury, so what does that look like?" Campbell said. "How do we go practice? But I think for our fan base to see us on that field, and for us to be able to be out in that stadium with our fans before we play a game, I think is absolutely critically important."

Campbell said he's a "huge believer" in the value of spring drills, particularly since these will be his first at Penn State. The Blue-White Game will represent the 15th and final practice, so Campbell wants to generate as much value without subjecting players to further injury.

Penn State hosted modified spring scrimmages in past seasons under James Franklin, who sought to limit contact and reps, particularly for veteran players. Franklin also held the 2025 Blue-White Game without television coverage, in part because the transfer portal was open at the time, and Franklin didn't want to give other programs easy access to watching his players.

Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell speaks at a press conference at Beaver Stadium. | Mark Wogenrich/Penn State on SI

"What I've always believed in [about] that 15th practice is, what does that look like?" Campbell said. "I do think it's critically important for us. Pat and I are deciding how we'll do the Blue-White Game and what that'll look like. We'll certainly do something.

"What that'll look like probably will be based a lot on our health of where we're at at that point, and then making sure we do a great job of getting out there and getting great work in, no matter what it is. We've got to make sure we get value out of that 15th practice."

Penn State opens the 2026 season against Marshall on Sept. 5 at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State Nittany Lions cheerleaders greet the players and crowd outside outside Beaver Stadium before the Blue-White Game. — Penn State Nittany Lions cheerleaders greet the players and crowd outside outside Beaver Stadium before the 2025 Blue-White Game. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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