Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1534903
6 M A Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P osition battles aren't won or lost in the Blue-White Game. These decisions have more to do with the body of work that players compile over a period of months or years. And yet, the annual spring scrim- mage does provide a two-hour window into how certain battles might be shap- ing up. Here's a look at how the team's most contentious duels played out on April 26 when Penn State welcomed 56,000 fans to watch the final after- noon of spring practice. QB2: This one seems too close to call right now. Our one-day nod goes to redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer. Redshirt sophomore Jaxon Smolik threw the game's only touchdown pass — a 40-yarder to freshman receiver Lyrick Samuel — and looked good in general, but Grunkemeyer was just a hair sharper from a down-to-down sample size. RB3: Redshirt freshman Corey Smith got more opportunities on the White squad, but he also had less room to run. Redshirt freshman Quinton Martin Jr. and January enrollee Tikey Hayes rotated drives in the second half after letting the starters go in the first. We'll give the nod to Martin, who scored the game's only rushing touchdown and put together a nice all- purpose day. Slot WR: Redshirt senior Liam Clifford got the start with the Blue in 11-personnel, while redshirt freshman Tyseer Denmark did so for the White. Denmark ended up as a favorite target of Grunkemeyer and put together some nice gains. Clifford was about as in- volved in the run game as a receiver can be and picked up a few chunks as well. He didn't do anything to lose the job, but Denmark gets the nod for flashing a little more. Right Guard: This one ended when JB Nelson hit the transfer portal, eventually signing with Kansas State. Sophomore Cooper Cousins has taken the job and run with it. The former five-star prospect, listed at 6-foot-6, 308 pounds, looked comfortable in the spring game. DT4: When super senior Alonzo Ford Jr. is fully recovered from the injury that ended his season last No- vember, Penn State will probably feel pretty good about its first three, with All-Big Ten senior Zane Durant and redshirt freshman Xavier Gilliam being the other two. Who steps into the fourth spot will likely be determined in fall camp. Red- shirt sophomore Ty Blanding got the first crack, starting on the Blue squad. But redshirt freshman Owen Wafle may have had the best day among the contenders. We'll give the nod to the Michigan transfer here. LB 3/4: Penn State is thin at line- backer, and in the spring game it was redshirt freshman Anthony Speca lin- ing up alongside redshirt senior Domi- nic DeLuca with the first team. We didn't see a ton of redshirt junior Keon Wylie, though he's expected to improve with more time to get comfortable after missing last season with a knee injury. It's looking like junior Tony Rojas and DeLuca will be the starters, with Wylie and Speca taking over the second team. Nickel: The Blue-White Game was inconclusive, meaning that this battle will likely come down to junior cor- nerback Zion Tracy and junior safety King Mack, both of whom missed time this spring. Redshirt junior safety Ko- lin Dinkins got the start, and redshirt freshman cornerback Kenny Woseley Jr. played a bunch of snaps for the White. Safety 3/4: Penn State is trending to start redshirt senior Zakee Wheat- ley and sophomore Dejuan Lane at safety in the fall, but the backup jobs are up for grabs. Mack missed much of the spring and didn't play in the Blue-White Game. Redshirt freshman Vaboue Toure had an interception and played a strong game. Redshirt fresh- man Antoine Belgrave-Shorter seemed to rise up the depth chart this spring, and we heard redshirt sophomore Lamont Payne Jr.'s name called a bit. Toure and Belgrave-Shorter looked to have had positive days in the Blue- White Game. Penn State will, of course, con- tinue to search for reinforcements at each level of the defense to solidify its standing. James Franklin made a pitch to transfer portal linebackers in his postgame presser, while defensive tackle and safety also remained on the shopping list. Even with some of its shortcomings on display in the spring game, Penn State is primed to have a pretty good team this fall, especially with a num- ber of key players slated to return after missing time this spring. No college team is perfect, however, and the next few months will go a long way toward determining just how good this group can be. ■ Spring Game Offers Insight Into Key Position Battles JUDGMENT CALL O P I N I O N SEAN FITZ SEAN.FITZ@ON3.COM Redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer is competing for the Nittany Lions' backup quarterback job behind Drew Allar this fall. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS