Three questions about Penn State football before the beginning of spring practice
Penn State begins spring ball this week, with plenty of questions heading into what could be one of the most anticipated seasons in recent program history.
Here are three questions about the Nittany Lions that could be answered over the next month-plus of spring practice.
Do any receivers emerge?
This is going to be the biggest question surrounding the Penn State team heading into the 2025 season. And right now it’s even more of a question because the team added two receivers from the portal who may start and have yet to catch passes from quarterback Drew Allar in a team setting. Devonte Ross, who joined the Nittany Lions from Troy, and Kyron Hudson, who came from USC, both have a chance to establish themselves as top of the depth chart options for Penn State and key pieces in the 2025 offense.
But there are plenty of players from the 2025 team who could emerge, too, and either take the third starting spot or win a battle with one of the two transfers. Redshirt senior Liam Clifford saw plenty of playing time last year but wasn’t able to turn it into high-level production. He and redshirt junior Kaden Saunders were the presumed favorites for the starting slot receiver job last year but Saunders was banged up most of the season.
Then there are the two most likely young options to contribute — redshirt freshman Tyseer Denmark and true freshman Matthew Outten. Denmark earned reps last year in his first season at PSU, but preserved his redshirt and should be a quality option. Outten arrived on campus in January and has the makings of a potential No. 1 receiver — but has a long way to go in his development to get there. The Nittany Lions are sure to explore any elite options in the spring portal as well, but if none pop up then it’s imperative that the current group takes a big step forward.
How does Penn State replace its talent departures?
In about a month, the Nittany Lions will have several players hear their names called at the 2025 NFL Draft — and a few of them were among the team’s best players last season and will need to be replaced. Defensive end Abdul Carter and tight end Tyler Warren were the team’s best producers on defense and offense in 2024 and are both potential top-10 picks, with Carter having a chance to go first overall. And then there are players like safety Jaylen Reed and linebacker Kobe King on defense, who may not be as highly touted but could prove more difficult to replace.
That’s because in some ways Carter and Warren had ready-made replacements behind them last year. The defensive end will have Dani Dennis-Sutton take his spot as the team’s top pass rusher, while players like Zuriah Fisher (who is returning from injury) and Max Granville should soak up the reps as the second defensive end. At Warren it’s slightly less clear, but only because Penn State has a plethora of options. Andrew Rappleyea will be back in 2025 after suffering a season-ending injury early in the 2024 season, although he may not be a full go for spring ball. When he is ready to go he’ll be battling with Khalil Dinkins and Luke Reynolds to start in Warren’s place, with all three likely getting a good chunk of reps.
Reed and King’s replacements are less clear at the moment. King’s spot has some replacement options like Ta’Mere Robinson, Keon Wylie and Anthony Speca, but none are all that proven — and Wylie may be better off rushing the passer. Reed is going to be impossible to replace completely because he was such a versatile weapon. Dajuan Lane, Vaboue Toure and King Mack are going to be options at safety, with Mack having some versatility like Reed did — and even someone like cornerback Zion Tracy could help fill some of those roles. Whoever emerges at those positions in spring ball should have a leg up heading into the 2025 season.
What are the top non-depth chart priorities for the program?
There are two aspects of spring ball that are going to be paramount for the program — staying healthy and implementing Jim Knowles’ defense. It’s no surprise that health is a priority, but it’s especially true for the Nittany Lions this year. They have a veteran team and have plenty of young players who could benefit from the additional reps.
That should allow Penn State to rest some of its best players for longer stretches and limit their reps — limiting their chances to get hurt. So what does that look like? Well, it should start with the team’s backfield. Drew Allar, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen should all be on ice for a large portion of the spring. They’re too important to risk extensive reps on, especially because all three could have easily left for the NFL after the 2024 season. Allar will still need time throwing to his weapons, but he won’t need many — if any — live 11-on-11 reps to make progress. The focus for him should be on getting on the same page as the receiver room in hopes that it helps that group take another step forward.
The defense will be more of a balancing act for Penn State head coach James Franklin and his coordinator, Knowles. The Nittany Lions are implementing a new defense and will need opportunities to learn what can be a complex scheme. That being said, there’s a good chance Knowles retains enough from previous Penn State defenses to allow for a much smoother transition. Still, Dennis-Sutton, Rojas, defensive tackle Zane Durant and cornerback A.J. Harris could be among the group of players in line for limited reps. The added benefit there is other defensive players getting more reps and helping the Nittany Lions build depth for a crucial 2025 season — one that could begin with Penn State ranked as the No. 1 team in the country.
