Penn State held its annual spring game Saturday afternoon with the White beating the Blue, 27-0.
The team’s next live action will come on Aug. 31 when the Nittany Lions head to Morgantown to take on West Virginia in their season opener.
Here’s what stood out from the team’s spring game:
Penn State running back Cam Wallace during the Blue-White game on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
Player of the game
RB Cam Wallace: Penn State running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen didn’t see any action Saturday, clearing the way for redshirt freshman Cam Wallace to lead the backfield for the White team. Wallace showed off some of the athleticism that attracted the Nittany Lions, and was able to make the most out of space when he had it. He finished the game with seven carries for 36 yards, while also adding a reception for 6 yards. The third back behind Allen and Singleton was a question heading into spring ball, but it seems Wallace has as good of a chance as anyone of locking that role down for the 2024 season.
Penn State wide receiver Kaden Saunders cuts down the field with the ball from defender Colin Dinkins during the Blue-White game on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
Stat of the game
6: That’s the number of targets that Kaden Saunders saw in the first half, leading the scrimmage. He didn’t see any targets in the second half, finishing with two catches for 27 yards. Saunders’ ability to get open was evident, even if he didn’t always finish his catches. He’s one of the players lined up for a big role with KeAndre Lambert-Smith poised to enter the transfer portal when it opens Tuesday. Saunders should excel in the slot, where Lambert-Smith was likely to start, and could be primed for a large increase in both reps and production.
What’s next
The Nittany Lions will not take the field again until August when they head on the road to play West Virginia in Morgantown. The matchup will be against a Mountaineer team that had a better-than-expected 2023 season after previously struggling under head coach Neal Brown. The two teams faced off in last year’s season opener with Penn State winning 38-15 at Beaver Stadium. This time around, the Nittany Lions will be debuting new offensive and defensive coordinators in Andy Kotelnicki and Tom Allen. The matchup is the last of the scheduled two-game series between the programs.
Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris stops wide receiver Harrison Wallace III during the Blue-White game on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
This story was originally published April 13, 2024 at 3:41 PM.
Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.
