Penn State 2011 Blue - White Game

Penn State Blue-White Game
Beaver Stadium
April 16, 2011
2pm kickoff

Admission is FREE, no tickets are needed.

As another frigid Happy Valley winter ends, Penn State football fans are planning for the highlight of their spring, the Blue-White Game. The first chance to see this year's Nittany Lion football team will be at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, April 16 at 2pm.

The biggest storyline to watch heading into this year’s game is a familiar one, which is the competition at quarterback. It seems, for now, that all four quarterbacks from last season will be returning to Penn State and will see action in the Blue-White Game. This will be the first and only chance for Penn State fans to make their judgments on who should be starting in the fall until the Lions open up the season on September 3 against Indiana State.

There's more to Blue-White Weekend than just the football scrimmage. For fans who can't wait until September to set up their grills and canopy tents, tailgating for the Blue-White game is a must. On Friday night, Saturday, and now Sunday you can check out the carnival set up outside of Beaver Stadium. Ride the rides, watch an eating contest, and maybe you'll bump into a few of the players!

Blue-White Weekend is also a great time to catch a Penn State baseball game, as they host Big Ten foe Purdue for a weekend series. The Nittany Lion baseball team plays across the street from Beaver Stadium at the gorgeous Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, one of the most spectacular stadiums in college baseball. Friday night’s 6:35pm start will be sandwiched between the carnival outside Beaver Stadium and fireworks following the game. Fans attending Saturday’s Blue-White Game can walk across the street and catch the first pitch at 5pm, which will also be followed by fireworks after the game. The series wraps up Sunday, with first pitch at 1:05pm. PSU Baseball Ticket Info

Read the Full HappyValley.com Fun Guide Here

Quartet of Bands at Blue - White
Game to be shown on Big Ten Network
Dunk Tank Fundraiser at Blue - White
2011 Homecoming Logo Revealed at Halftime

Friday, April 15
Music 4 p.m.-10 p.m.
Carnival 6 p.m.-10 p.m.
WingFest 6 p.m.-10 p.m. (Bonfatto's is going for their third win!)
PSU Baseball 6:35 p.m.
Penn State Idols Finals 7:00 p.m.
LowJack 7:45 p.m.-9:15 p.m.
Fireworks 9:15 p.m.

Saturday, April 16
Carnival 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Booths 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Student Acts 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Blue - White Parade 10:45 a.m.
Stadium Autograph Session 12:30 p.m.
Lionettes Dance Team 12:45 p.m.
Blue Band - Cheerleaders 1:00 p.m.
Blue - White Game 2:00 p.m.
Go Go Gadget 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
PSU Baseball 5:00 p.m.
Men's Lacrosse 7:00 p.m.
Fireworks 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 17
Special Olympics 5K Run 10 a.m.
Carnival 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Women's Lacrosse 1:00 p.m.
PSU Baseball 1:05 p.m.

Parking and Tailgating: Updated Parking Guidelines for Blue - White Game

• Stadium parking lots will open at 8 a.m.
• Stadium gates A and B will open at 12:00 p.m.
• Car Parking Map for Blue - White Game
  
• RV Parking Map for Blue - White Game
  

Beaver Stadium Seating, Directions, General Info, and info on what you can't take into Beaver Stadium

Town Specials: Old State Clothing Co. - both downtown and stadium store (inside the Visitor's Center by the Paterno shrine) welcomes everyone to Blue White with their semi-annual sale - up to 75% off select Penn State items. Also they will have Evan Royster signing autographs at the stadium store Saturday, April 16 (11am - 1PM) - Old State customers can get a free autograph. They will also have bounce houses out front - again free to Old State stadium store customers.

Tailgate: at S&A Homes - Help them kick off the Blue-White Game festivities at their Tours and Tailgates party at the Village at Penn State this Saturday, April 16th from 10am – 1pm. The Village at Penn State features resort-style living just steps from Beaver Stadium from the $200’s. Location: 129 Beaumanor Rd, State College PA. For more information, call 1-800-238-4703 or email Justin O’Connell at jjo100@sahomebuilder.com.

Your Guide to Happy Valley

Hotel Availability for the 2011 Blue - White Game

Other Things to Do in State College

Find a State College Restaurant - Restaurant Specials

Get Catering

John Tecce on Position Battles to Watch for at the Game

Quarterback

For the second straight Blue-White Game, quarterback will be the most closely watched and highly discussed position battle for Penn State. Sophomore Rob Bolden and junior Matt McGloin figure to be the front-runners after both starting games last season, but redshirt freshman Paul Jones will definitely be in the mix as well. Jones has great size (6’3” 246 lbs) and elite arm strength, which he showed off in last year’s Blue-White Game with two touchdown passes. Bolden’s skills were enough to earn him the starting job at the beginning of last season, and despite his uncertain future at Penn State all reports are that he is a legit contender for the job. McGloin both dazzled and frustrated as the starter during the second half of last season, leading Penn State to four victories in the final six games of the regular season before struggling mightily against Florida in the Outback Bowl.

Center

This will be the third season in a row that Penn State will have to replace an upperclassman center, and the winner of this competition will be just as important to the offense as the quarterback (if not moreso). Redshirt junior Matt Stankewitch looks like the favorite despite missing the second half of last season with mono. His current backup is redshirt sophomore Ty Howle. The darkhorse here is Miles Dieffenbach, who could push for playing time at center or guard after redshirting last season. All three are former blue-chip recruits who came to Happy Valley ranked as a top 10 centers by at least one major recruiting service, so the talent is definitely there for center to be a strength for Penn State.

Cornerback

On the defensive side of the ball, the battle at cornerback features a mix of experience and unproven athleticism. Two-year starter D’Anton Lynn will be a lock on one side, but the competition for the other starting spot and nickel spot will be fierce. Junior Stephon Morris looks to bounce back after his 2010 struggles, but has plenty of starting experience in the past two seasons. Former wide receiver Chaz Powell made big strides last season after being converted (twice) to cornerback, starting three games a year ago. The wild card here is sophomore Derrick Thomas, who started at nickel last season before being suspended for the final nine games. Thomas possesses elite athleticism and could push for a starting spot as early as preseason practice. You know what you’re getting from Lynn and Morris, so I’d suggest focusing in on Powell and Thomas when they’re on the field.

Getting Healthy

Penn State’s 2010 season was marred by injuries, and the return of a few very talented players will definitely be something to keep an eye on during this year’s Blue-White Game.

Curtis Drake

Dynamic wide receiver Curtis Drake redshirted last season while recovering from a broken leg he suffered during preseason practice. Coach Paterno has referred to Drake as being among the best athletes on the team, and his versatility as a receiving and rushing threat makes him tough to gameplan for. Before his injury, Drake was posed for a breakout 2010 after averaging over 12 yards per catch and 6 yards per rush as a true freshman in 2009. He figures to be the favorite at the slot receiver position over speedster Devon Smith, who will also see plenty of snaps after catching 27 balls a year ago. The biggest thing to watch with Drake is whether he has regained the quickness that had him getting snaps as a true freshman.

Brandon Beachum

Like Drake, redshirt sophomore tailback Brandon Beachum also missed the entire 2010 season due to a leg injury. A contributor for the Big Ten champion Nittany Lions in 2008 as a true freshman. Beachum averaged over four yards per carry in his first two seasons as a Nittany Lion before tearing his ACL in November 2009, an injury that forced him to redshirt last season. A very highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, Beachum’s powerful style will be a perfect compliment to the shifty Silas Redd and speedy Stephfon Green in the Penn State backfield.

Michael Mauti

After missing all of 2009 with a torn ACL, Mauti became the key to Penn State’s defense last season while battling injuries that led him to miss two games. He will move from the strong side to the middle this spring, following the path of recent Linebacker U greats like Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor, and Sean Lee. By the spring game, Mauti should be getting comfortable with the switch, but he will definitely be a player to watch as he adjusts.

My take

This year’s Blue-White Game will provide the first chance to see how the growing pains have progressed after what I would consider a disappointing 2010 campaign.

The biggest questions, obviously, lie within yet another complex quarterback battle. Do the coaches feel they can trust McGloin moving forward after his limitations were exposed in games against tougher competition? Has Bolden matured as a player and a leader? Can Jones and his big arm jump both of them on the depth chart after redshirting his freshman year? I’ve been a Bolden fan from day one, and I think with a good spring he can separate himself from the pack, but I won’t discount McGloin or Jones either. Whoever ends up at quarterback will love the return of guys like Beachum and Drake, which adds two playmakers to an already-loaded group of backs and receivers.

Elsewhere, it will be interesting to see how the offensive line battles play out, as my excitement about the talent and experience Penn State has returning is weighed down by uncertainty. The offensive line is certainly an area to watch closely after losing two starters to graduation and a third, for the time being, for disciplinary reasons. Senior guard Johnnie Troutman has NFL potential, but a DUI incident in the offeseason has him fighting his way out of Joe Paterno’s famed doghouse this spring. I’m anxious to see if Troutman, along with the returning starters at tackle and stable of talent at guard and center, can step up and make the O-line a strength for the Nittany Lions. If that happens, you can look back and say that the Blue-White Game the first time you saw a Big Ten title contender in person in 2011.

Overall, I think this year’s spring game could provide us with the first look at the makings of a very good team and maybe even a great one. The defense will return to dominant form with so many starters and contributors returning from injury and veterans like D’Anton Lynn and Michael Mauti stepping up in leadership roles. The offense and special teams are replacing a few multi-year starters, but the talent is there for an explosive 2011 season.