Inside look at the atmosphere, construction around Penn State’s Blue-White Practice

With a cold and steady rain, Penn State’s annual Blue-White didn’t draw the crowds Saturday that it usually does. But thousands of fans still refused to stay away.

No official attendance was announced, but it appeared the crowd could be measured by the thousands as opposed to the usual tens of thousands. Still, the open practice — which transitioned from an open scrimmage this year — served as a glimpse into what to expect when fans fill the stadium in the fall, in addition to showing just how Beaver Stadium’s $700 million renovation is shaping up.

One Penn State linebacker still expressed surprise at “how many people” attended, adding he enjoyed hearing the crowd’s exclamations after big hits. First-year head coach Matt Campbell also remarked positively on the turnout — which was low by historic standards but not bad, he intimated, based on temperatures swirling in the low-50s and a steady rain that lasted all day.

“To be in a downpour today and to see this crowd and the amount of people that came out to support our program — it’s just taking every opportunity to show our young men in our program how special it is to play here at Penn State and what it means,” Campbell said.

Here’s a closer look at Saturday’s atmosphere around Blue-White at Beaver Stadium:

Abby Drey profile

Centre Daily Times