4 Penn State storylines to watch with spring football 1 week away

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State kicks off spring practice in a week, which means we’re almost another step closer to the 2022 Nittany Lions campaign. The season opener at Purdue is about five-and-a-half months away. And while that might seem like a long time, it can go quickly.

Here’s a look at some storylines to keep in mind as we get a couple days closer to spring football and that much closer to the start of the 2022 season.

1. How will the quarterback reps be divided up?

There are a couple different ways to slice the Penn State quarterback situation entering the spring with sixth-year senior Sean Clifford, redshirt freshman Christian Veilleux and true freshmen Drew Allar and Beau Pribula all on campus. It’s an interesting blend of talent and experience for coach James Franklin and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich to work with.

But what will it look like on the practice field? How much work does Clifford need at this point in his career? What kind of early experience will the true freshmen get? The 2021 season hangs over this storyline, given how the offense struggled once Clifford was injured in October.

2. How can the tight end group bounce back?

There’s plenty of chatter about the run game and the offensive line, but Franklin has emphasized that the tight end group bears some responsibility for the struggles on the ground, too. The top three of Brenton Strange, Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren returns, and while the group flashed through the air at times, it wasn’t a consistent threat week-in and week-out.

Johnson appears to have been a top performer during winter workouts, and he’ll have the chance to have that translate onto the field this spring. The rest of the group needs to follow suit, especially in the run game.

3. What else does the Class of 2020 have to offer?

The current group of third-year players has had an unusual start to its college career. The Class of 2020 arrived during the coronavirus pandemic and hasn’t exactly had the normal college experience. That hasn’t stopped some players like Johnson, wide receiver Parker Washington or linebacker Curtis Jacobs from making early impacts.

But for some other players, their third year in the program marks a golden opportunity to take steps forward in their careers. That group includes defensive tackle Cole Brevard, wide receiver Jaden Dottin, defensive end Zuriah Fisher and offensive lineman Olu Fashanu, among others.

The linemen are especially worth watching. Penn State has five remaining defensive linemen and five offensive linemen from that initial signing group. Those players can take advantage of their chance to step forward.

4. Will the off-field momentum continue?

Penn State enjoyed a productive few weeks to begin the year on the recruiting trail. Since New Year’s Eve, Penn State has added three commitments in the Class of 2023 and another in the Class of 2024. The eight-man group in the 2023 currently ranks No. 5 nationally, and it provides a good base for the Nittany Lions to largely be in contention for one of the top groups nationally coming signing day in December.

A quiet period began March 1, which means prospective recruits will be on campus to check out the Nittany Lions. Franklin and company are known as ace in-person recruiters, so this is an opportunity to really make some headway with top prospects in the current cycle and beyond.