Penn State coach Matt Campbell said Saturday’s Blue-White Practice will serve as another important evaluation tool for his football team, not just a public showcase.
Campbell said getting into Beaver Stadium last week was valuable, especially for players experiencing it for the first time. “There were a lot of big eyes walking into that stadium,” Campbell said, adding that his team now gets the chance to feel that atmosphere again with fans in the stands.
Rather than turning the day into pure spectacle, Campbell wants the annual spring showcase to function much like a regular practice.
Campbell said the first 20 to 25 minutes will resemble a normal workout before the rest of the day centers on drive situations and team work. “We can’t waste a great practice,” Campbell said. “These are critical reps for our football team.”
Overall, Campbell believes Penn State has made meaningful progress throughout the spring. “There’s been great growth in spring practice,” he said, while noting the staff has focused on installing “baseline things on offense and defense” to better evaluate the roster.
Even with injuries at quarterback and receiver, Campbell praised both his coaches and players, saying, “We haven’t wasted a practice so far.”
Among the players drawing praise is wide receiver Koby Howard, whom Campbell called “a young talented football player” with “great potential.” Campbell said Howard’s next step is consistency, but added that Penn State is “really grateful to have him back.”
Howard’s redshirt was burned during the second half of the season as interim head coach Terry Smith saw the effort.
Last season, Howard appeared in nine games making the most impact in the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson where he participated in 34 snaps and was targeted four times with a pair of receptions for 34 receiving yards.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Campbell also singled out true freshman Amarion Jackson, who began in the safety room before moving to offense. “I don’t know if there’s a true freshman that’s had a bigger spring than what he has,” Campbell said. He added Jackson is “on track right now to have pushed to play as a true freshman.”
Jackson is a three-star signee from the Class of 2026 from Millard South (Omaha, Nebraska) with a 6’2″ 185 frame that has plenty of room to fill up.
At quarterback, Campbell said Connor Barry has made the most of extra reps, while Rocco Becht’s return to health and Alex Manske’s return to campus have boosted the room heading toward summer.
Barry played at Division III Christopher Newport leading them to their first undefeated regular season and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He set school records for passing yards (2,866) and touchdowns (35), while completing 67% of his passes and was a semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy for the top player in Division III.
Penn State’s Blue-White Practice will take place Saturday at Beaver Stadium with practice kicking off at 1 PM (Eastern).
