Over the weekend, Penn State's Blue-White game received a different look. Instead of a full on scrimmage, new head coach Matt Campbell broke up the afternoon into several scrimmages that saw different players go through 7-on-7 drills and 11-on-11s for the first time in front of the fanbase. This meant fans were introduced to one of Penn State's largest transfer classes in years, including star QB Rocco Becht. Despite the fact that Becht only competed in 7-on-7s, fans still got a glimpse of his potential, as well as the potential of a young and scrappy defense and an underrated running back room. Here are some key observations from the practice.
One area of focus for the weekend was how Penn State would choose to blend in their young returning talent with the large haul of transfers on the defensive side of the ball. The answer may be more interesting than you think after what transpired Saturday. Two defensive prospects in particular shined on the day: sophomore corner Daryus Dixson and freshman safety Josiah Zayas. Dixson tormented presumed QB2 Connor Barry. Both players had interceptions, with Zayas returning his for a touchdown. While both figure to get limited snaps in what should be an elite secondary, the fact that the Nittany Lions can rely on this amount of depth could be critical throughout the year.
One of the positions that many Penn State fans were curious about headed into this practice was the running back position. While many people expected Carson Hansen to emerge as the clear RB1, others believed that Ohio State transfer James Peoples might have something to say about it. He definitely proved himself this weekend, displaying elite vision and burst and most impressively, scoring two touchdowns in 11-on-11 drills. While Hansen had his moments and played first team reps, look for Peoples to continue his ascendance and potentially get more reps come the start of the season.
Many Penn State fans were curious to see how Rocco Bect would look most of all, or even if they would get to see him at all this weekend. It turns out Becht looks just fine. While he only played in 7-on-7 drills, he looked much sharper than one would have expected a QB with injury problems to play. One positive development emerged in his connection with Penn State's potential breakout star in wide receiver Koby Howard. One of the holdovers at the position from last year, Howard emerged as a potential breakout candidate and WR1 option for this year. While both Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen sat out due to injuries, Howard got the bulk of the WR1 plays and displayed a strong rapport with his new QB. Chances are by the start of the season, it will be Howard that Becht can rely upon the most.
While this observation is mainly down to a legacy player making a big play, it is important to note that LaVar Arrington II may not figure into Penn State's rotation this year. After being converted from linebacker to defensive end, Arrington was looking to impress in an already loaded position group for the Blue and White. He certainly displayed some elite moves, especially going up against redshirt freshman OT Owen Aliciene. While Arrington will have to wait his turn, he is already proving his worth to this team.
While it was a solid day for Rocco Becht, the day did not go quite as well for Connor Barry. Potentially battling for his place as QB2, he looked shaky at times, displaying inaccuracy and sailing passes, one of which was picked off by Daryus Dixson. While Alex Manske was sidelined and could not show off his capabilities, Barry will be disappointed in himself for not taking advantage. He was not the only QB who struggled, as freshman Peyton Falzone also threw a pick and Kase Evans could not put any TDs on the board either. While the Nittany Lions' QB room is certainly deep, it may not be as good as we initially thought.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 5 takeaways from Penn State's Blue-White practice