Blue White Illustrated

hasn't been much separation between the two sophomores. They've received a comparable number of reps, and O'Brien and teammates all say Bench and Ferguson have had similar performances. "I can't say that one guy has really stood out above the other guy," O'Brien said. "They've both had their moments. I've been very impressed with how hard each guy has worked. You think about these guys: They're both young. They're both 18, 19 years old." Their top receiving target and the team's top returning pass catcher describes the quarterback situation like his coach: a neck-and-neck battle with no clear frontrunner. In addition to their physical quarterbacking skills, though, Allen Robinson is also looking for someone to step up and take charge in the offensive huddle, a skill Matt McGloin mastered from the get-go in 2012. "They're about the same right now," Robinson said. "They're definitely great competitors. That's what I like. Coming from having McGloin last season, he was a great competitor for us, a guy who took great command of the huddle. ... He was able to get everybody to rally around him. [Bench and Ferguson] definitely have the potential to do the same." Although Robinson probably won't see many reps in the Blue-White Game – O'Brien certainly doesn't want to overexert his best players – he will surely garner a lot of fan attention Saturday. He may have caught 77 passes for 1,018 yards a season ago and won recognition as the Big Ten's top receiver, but it has seemed lately as though he's getting set to debut all over again. Under the guidance of strength coach Craig Fitzgerald, Robinson appears to have gone through a physical transformation over the past year and now checks in at nearly 217 pounds – 16 pounds heavier than he was a year ago. It looks like the junior has muscles coming out of his ears, and he has improved his 40-yard dash time and broad jump. The NFL talk has already begun, meaning this could be his final season in blue and white. Robinson said he's been spending a lot of time this off-season working A P R I L one-on-one with defensive back Adrian Amos. Robinson works on his routes, and Amos defends. They're friends – in fact, they're roommates – but that doesn't dull the intense battles between the two. To borrow a line from wrestling coach Cael Sanderson, "Steel sharpens steel." That's how Robinson and Amos have approached their workouts this spring. "We do some footwork stuff and just some small things," Robinson said. "We would do a lot of releases and a lot of downfield work or some 50/50 ball drills. We're just always trying to push each other – whether it's doing extra push-ups in the weight room or extra pull-ups, we're always trying to get better." Amos is another junior who has rising expectations as he prepares for his third season. This spring he has practiced at cornerback, safety and nickel back, and he's being depended upon to be the do-it-all utility man in the secondary. After starting each game in 2012 and playing in most as a true freshman, Amos is ready for the expanded role. "With years come experience and you feel more comfortable," he said, "and when you're more comfortable, you play faster and a lot better." The quarterbacks, Robinson and Amos might have a lot of eyes focused on them Saturday, but there are a host of other players who will be looking to make their mark, many of whom aren't on scholarship. Case in point: the linebackers. Glenn Carson and Mike Hull are the only ones who return with substantial playing time, and only three other linebackers are on scholarship. Certainly a few "run-ons" will be relied upon. Matt Baney, Charles Idemudia and Adam Cole head up that list. That's the beauty of the Blue-White Game. Fans are eager to see how much that returning starter has improved and whether that highly touted new guy might just turn out to be Penn State's next All-American. But once the fall arrives, reality sets in. The team suffers a few losses, and the new guys, as well as some of the returnees, aren't quite what they were hyped up to be. But for now, it's a wonderful time of year. 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 2 PENN  STATE  RADIO  NETWORK WAEB............. 790-AM....... Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton WVAM............ 1430-AM.......................................Altoona WRKY............. 104.9-FM............... Altoona/Hollidaysburg WILK.............. 103.1-FM.........................................Avoca WAYC..............1600-AM.......................................Bedford WAYC..............100.9-FM......................................Bedford WISR..............680-AM............................................Butler WCPA............. 900-AM...................................... 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