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By Andy Stine
astine@altoonamirrorcom
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. It's kind of surprising that it isn't talked about more often when it comes to spring football.
It's not much of a secret, but it needs to be addressed in the spring.
The Blue-White Game is a scrimmage. Nothing more, nothing less.
Seriously. There will probably be just as many people inside Beaver Stadium as there will be tailgating in the parking lots.
But nonetheless, there will be football played in State College today, and it's another chance to see what's coming next season.
We also have to remember to take everything you see with a grain of salt.
Remember that Omari Evans had a big day in last year's spring game with five receptions for 80 yards and the game's lone touchdown.
Evans had four catches for 94 yards and one TD all of last season.
But here are five things you should keep an eye on in the last time we'll see PSU on the field before the season opener at West Virginia.
n Is Andy Kotelnicki's offense a fit for Drew Allar?
It was becoming obvious that Mike Yurcich's offense was pretty solid until they faced an elite defense like Ohio State and Michigan.
That's no longer good enough for James Franklin. Kotelnicki came to State College with a reputation of creating explosive plays, which was something badly needed under Yurcich.
n Abdul Carter, the defensive end
Carter is obviously very talented.
He probably would have made an impact no matter which linebacker position he played in the past. But playing on the line with a hand in the dirt is much different than playing off the ball.
Franklin said Carter was adamant about being a linebacker when he was recruited, but Carter must have had a change of heart since that time.
We'll get our first look to see how much of an athlete Carter really is.
n The two big additions
Franklin said at the start of spring ball he didn't feel the Lions needed to do a lot in the transfer portal, but it probably didn't hurt to bring in Julian Fleming, who has a chance to be the team's No. 1 receiver.
Fleming was a local kid from Southern Columbia who had some success at Ohio State in a very talented wide receiver room.
Also, Nolan Rucci was an offensive lineman who arrived at PSU from Wisconsin.
The Rucci name should sound familiar to longtime fans as his dad, Todd, was a Nittany Lion lineman and a second-round pick in the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
n The backup QBs
The Lions frequently threw in some wrinkles for backup QB Beau Pribula, and it's probably fair to wonder if Kotelnicki will do the same with the first teamers.
This will also be the first time we see early enrollee Ethan Grunkemeyer, who was rated the No. 7 quarterback in this year's class.
Unfortunately, Jaxon Smolik is injured and lost for the spring.
n The kicking competition
The Blue-White Game isn't the most eventful time for special teams, but there's usually a period for the placekickers.
Sander Sahaydak won the kicking job last year out of camp, but struggled in the first game with West Virginia and quickly lost it to Alex Felkins. He'll be the favorite going into the season and can gain a leg up on the competition.
But, again, remember this is only spring football, and it's ultimately the last practice for PSU. It's also a celebration for the end of spring practice, and not a real game.
Andy Stine can be reached at astine@altoonamirror.com.