Penn State’s spring football practice schedule will culminate this weekend with the final spring practice being held on Saturday inside Beaver Stadium. A small fraction of fans will be allowed to enter through the gates of Beaver Stadium for the first time since 2019, which is exciting on its own, but the offense of the Nittany Lions has a real chance to offer its own form of excitement. The Blue-White Game, in whatever form it will hold this week, should offer a glimpse of big things to come, but just how much of that will we see in live action?
With a new offensive coordinator in Mike Yurcich, a third-year starting quarterback in Sena Clifford, and one of the Big Ten’s top wide receivers in Jahan Dotson, the key ingredients for a fun offense appear to be in place. Here are five questions about the offense to keep in mind this weekend.
1. Just how much of the Mike Yurcich offense will we actually see?
Penn State made an upgrade on the coaching staff this offseason with the addition of Mike Yurcich, formerly of Texas. Yurcich inherits an offense that got off to a tough start in 2020 but started to turn a corner in the second half of the season. There is no question Yurcich has some good players to work with in the Penn State offense, but for reasons that will be outlined in a moment, it may not be fair to judge the status of the Penn State offense based on whatever is shown off on Saturday.
Saturday’s final spring practice will not likely be a showcase for all that will be unfolding in the Yurcich offense, either because some of the key players may not be on the field long enough to get a chance to shine the way they may in the fall. Instead, this could be a good opportunity to see what some other players on the roster have to offer.
Speaking of which…
2. What will the quarterback situation look like after the spring game?
One of the biggest questions Penn State head coach James Franklin has faced this offseason has been what he will do with the quarterback situation after the spring. Sean Clifford is without hesitation the team’s starting quarterback, but the experience and depth behind him is a looming concern following the transfer of Will Levis (to Kentucky) and Micah Bowens (to Oklahoma).
How much time in the final spring practice is dedicated to Sean Clifford may be relatively brief. Instead, this will serve as a good opportunity to get more reps for backups Taquan Roberson and Christian Veilleux. If all goes well, both will show they have blossomed this spring and given Franklin and Yurcich much more confidence about what they have on the depth chart behind Clifford. Otherwise, Penn State’s search in the transfer portal could intensify in a hurry.