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UNIVERSITY PARK -- One question that may have popped in a lot of minds on Saturday is how Penn State football is divided for the Blue-White Game.
From a distance, it may look like the first two players at every position on the depth chart go against everybody else, but it isn't quite that simple.
PSU coach James Franklin said that's how he used to do it in the past, but it wasn't the case this season. He tried to make the two teams as evenly matched as possible.
Franklin noted at running back the Blue team had both starters in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, but there are no other running backs on scholarship for the rest of the roster.
"We made it as competitive as we possibly can, but some positions made it difficult to do that," Franklin said.
In places where the Nittany Lions have depth, it was more evenly spread out to both teams. Franklin sees sophomore defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton as a starter, even though he was playing on the White squad.
Dennis-Sutton had two sacks for the White, which were the only sacks his team registered. He also had four tackles, including two for a loss.
"I could use a ton of examples," Franklin said. "In positions that we are legitimately three-deep, we were good."
Captains named
Franklin said the team named three captains on Saturday in Olu Fashanu for the offense, State College product Keaton Ellis for the defense, and Dom DeLuca for the special teams.
Three more could be named after the end of training camp in August.
The team also announced its spring award winners.
Ellis and Fashanu shared the Frank Patrick total commitment award.
Linebacker Curtis Jacobs was given the Jim O'Hora award, symbolic of the team's most improved defensive player.
Tailback Nick Singleton won the Red Worrell Award, which goes to the most improved offensive player.
Long snapper Tyler Duzansky was given the coaches special team award.
Portal re-opens
Saturday was the first day that the NCAA transfer portal re-opened for the second cycle, and will remain open until April 30.
Franklin said the team is in a good position, but would like to add more depth at defensive tackle and wide receiver. He even hinted that there could be a commitment coming in the near future.
"We won't turn down a great player at any position. The phones are buzzing right now," Franklin said.
National anthem
Franklin has mentioned in the past that his players are more than just football players and have outside interests and hobbies.
That was put on full display in front of the estimated 63,000 in attendance who got to witness redshirt junior offensive lineman Golden Israel-Achumba sing the national anthem prior to the game.
If football doesn't work out, Israel-Achumba could have quite a future in a music career. He has already gone viral earlier this year on the social media platform TikTok for his rendition of "All Of Me" by John Legend.
"It doesn't surprise me he did a good job. He's a talented dude," Franklin said.
Notable appearances
New PSU basketball coach Mike Rhoades was introduced in front of the Beaver Stadium crowd after the first quarter to a big applause.
Rhoades was named the Lions' new coach on March 30.
Jahan Dotson was also interviewed during the game. Dotson, the Washington Commanders' first-round draft pick last year and had 523 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season, was showing off this year's official T-shirt for the whiteout game (which has yet to be determined.)