With spring practices wrapping up around the nation, that means that it’s almost time for teams to host their annual spring games. It will be Penn State’s first Blue-White game under Matt Campbell, and while it won’t be a traditional format, there will still be a lot to look forward to.

Since the Nittany Lions are led by a new coach, the roster is filled with transfer players, mostly from Iowa State, and there is a lot of uncertainty at most positions. Returning players can usually look forward to inheriting starting roles from players who’ve graduated or entered the NFL Draft, but that process looks a little bit different when there is a change in leadership.

Some position groups have already given the coaching staff enough to know what the depth chart will look like this season, and others still have a long way to go. Here are the five positions that are still undecided heading into this week’s spring game.

Penn State quarterbacks have faced a ton of scrutiny in recent years. The team has always had rosters that looked strong enough to compete for national championships, but it seemed like the signal callers consistently let them down. While there may not be any household names at the position this year, it is still loaded with talent.

Rocco Becht, the former starter with the Cyclones, seems like he all but has the starting job locked up. However, the backup spot is still up for grabs, and spring practices haven’t helped much in providing the staff with clarity. Alex Manske, another transfer from Iowa State, was in line to be the backup, but he’s been injured the entire spring, which has forced a Division III transfer and a couple of freshmen to step up.

Connor Barry has been working mostly with the first team, while Peyton Falzone and Kase Evans, the two aforementioned freshmen, have handled a lot of the backup and third-string reps. Becht has finally been able to get some 7-on-7 reps in recent weeks, but he still has been unable to participate in the live portions of practice.

With so many injuries at quarterback, the Blue-White game should be able to clear up any questions about Barry, Falzone, and Evans. Who knows if any of them will be able to earn the backup job, but this increased exposure could completely alter the coaching staff’s plans that they had coming into the season.

The Nittany Lions’ running back room is loaded with talent, just like it is every year. Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton are moving on to the NFL, so now the starting job is up for grabs.

The running back room has been adaptable over the years, with the previous regime alternating between a split backfield and one workhorse depending on the situation. There is certainly enough talent to share carries, and that’s what happened in Iowa State the last few seasons, so everyone should be able to eat back there this season.

Quinton Martin Jr. feels like the man for the job after having waited patiently behind Allen and Singleton for two seasons, but he’ll face a lot of competition. James Peoples, a transfer from Ohio State, also has a strong pedigree and will be looking for snaps for himself. He came over from the Buckeyes with a bigger workload in mind, so that’s another player for Martin Jr. to worry about.

Then there is Carson Hansen, another Campbell guy from Iowa State, who is easily the most accomplished running back in the group. He doesn’t have the same level of talent as Martin Jr. and Peoples, but he’s put in the work for years and has Campbell’s trust. This is arguably the most contentious position on the team, so make sure to keep an eye on the running backs during the Blue-White game.

A position like defensive end will always have some questions to answer due to the sheer amount of depth needed to create a strong group. Of course, there are starters who will play a majority of the snaps, but edge rushers are always being rotated throughout the course of a game.

Dani Dennis-Sutton, the team’s top pass rusher a season ago, will be drafted this week, which opens up the opportunity for someone to fill his role. Max Granville, a four-star edge rusher from Texas, seems like the obvious successor, but he is unproven. He missed the entirety of the 2025 season with an injury, so he’ll have to prove that he can be consistently impactful and stay healthy.

Ikenna Ezeogu is in the mix to start this season as well, with Campbell saying that he has “flashed maybe every single day so far.” He is another player that the Penn State coach is familiar with, which should help him out when the coaching staff is figuring out the depth chart.

Following the season-ending injury to Mason Robinson, the defensive end rotation will need someone to step up. The rest of the room is filled with inexperienced pass rushers who have been waiting for their opportunity. Well, now is their chance.

Most of them haven’t even recorded stats yet in college, so the Blue-White game will go a long way toward determining who will earn snaps. Alexander McPherson, a transfer from Colorado is just about the only other edge rusher on the team with experience, which means he could win one of the starting spots as well. Absolutely nothing is guaranteed with this group of players, so focus on the defensive line battle during the game this week.

There are almost no safeties returning for the Nittany Lions this year, making this one of the toughest positions to gauge. Marcus Neal Jr. could very well be the starter due to his experience, and it helps that he started under Campbell at Iowa State as well. However, the other safety spot is wide open, along with the backup spots, so there is a ton to compete for.

Jeremiah Cooper and Jamison Patton are the two most likely candidates for the second safety spot, while some lesser-known, unproven prospects will likely be duking it out for the backup roles. With a ton of transfers at this position who didn’t play much at their previous schools, the safeties will have their competitive juices flowing during the Blue-White game.

Much like the safeties, Penn State doesn’t have many returning wide receivers. Whether they transferred, graduated, or declared for the draft, there are very few pass catchers on the team with experience playing for the Nittany Lions.

Chase Sowell is expected to be the No. 1 receiver, retaining his spot from last year with the Cyclones, but not much else is solidified after that. Sowell’s Iowa State teammate, Brett Eskilden, will get a good look at the starting job as well since his numbers were comparable to Sowell’s, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see these two become the 1-2 punch at receiver.