Heavy clouds couldn’t prevent the Blue team from victory in Blue-White game
April showers welcomed football back to Happy Valley with the annual Blue-White spring game.
11-minute quarters showcased the work the team put in over the offseason in limited time with a running clock. Starting positions are on the line, and each player attempted to prove why their worthy of one.
James Franklin has set high expectations for this team and has vocalized his want for “more depth and more competition at the top level,” even if he thinks the team is “in a good place right now.”
The rain settled just in time for kickoff, and the blue team started with its offense on the field first.
Drew Allar received the first snaps at quarterback for Blue, but on the opening possession, the squad went three and out.
Beau Pribula completed the first pass of the game to wide receiver Malik McClain for a White team first down, but a strong-fronted Blue defense prevented it from developing a long-lasting drive.
The Allar-led offense clicked on possession number two as Kaytron Allen placed his formidability on full display by plowing through defenders.
A deep pass from Allar up the middle found a wide-open Omari Evans, who ran into the end-zone for the 28-yard score.
“[He] really stepped up, and we need a third wide-out to step up, so that was exciting,” Franklin said.
After getting the ball back, the White team still struggled to put a drive together down the field; it ended with Pribula getting marked down for a sack, forcing a punt.
In the second quarter, Pribula took over the blue team offense and showcased more of his talents, including his speed on a QB keeper play.
Evans continued to get in the mix and received a red-zone entering pass from Pribula down the left side.
Regardless, on this drive, the Blue team was unable to find the back of the endzone; but still added three points from a 22-yard field goal off the foot of Alex Felkins.
Tony Rojas made an impact with six solo tackles and several pass breakups, which put the spotlight on the early enrollee on a cloudy day.
“[Rojas] came in on the first day and ran probably 21 miles per hour, and we’re looking at that like that’s crazy,” Kevin Winston Jr. said. “Then we came on the field, and nothing changed — still ballin 'out.”
In the last possession of the half, Allar completed several long passes, which kept the chains moving, but were still unable to add any points before the half — the Blue Team held a 10-0 lead into the break.
Opening up the second half was a Pribula-led White team drive that failed to result in points; however, the QB started to complete a few more passes and keep the squad's offense on the field for slightly longer than previous drives.
Overall, the defenses on both teams prevented long drives from coming to fruition.
Specifically, the White team's defensive line had great speed off the snap and continuously crept up on Allar throughout the game, making it difficult for him to maintain a high throwing accuracy.
Evans continued to tear up the center of the field — late in the third quarter, he hauled in a 19-yard pass off a sidearm throw from Allar.
The sophomore had five receptions for 80 yards, but his expectations remain high.
“I feel like I played good, could’ve played better and ran better routes, but that’s just the start,” Evans said.
The red-zone White team defense was impenetrable — the Blue team turned the ball over on downs in the red zone with a minute left in the game.
The Blue team emerged victorious winning 10-0 in the low-scoring spring matchup. Both quarterbacks had similar ups and downs, but the defense remained the star of the show. Allar finished 19-30, throwing for 202 yards and one touchdown. As for Pribula, he was 10-27 for 92 yards.
“We just got to grind through it,” Franklin said. “Our quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, we cannot throw it enough all summer.”
“We had a great spring, but today was phenomenal.”
Amanda Vogt is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email her at aev5215@psu.edu
