With the new year came a new Blue-White format.

For the first time ever, Penn State football did not hold a spring scrimmage or game. Instead, head coach Matt Campbell opted to simply run a full-length practice from the heart of Beaver Stadium on Saturday. It served as the first public appearance for Campbell and his 2026-27 squad, and despite the less-than-ideal rainy conditions, there was a lot to digest.

Here are some of our top takeaways from the 2026 Blue-White Practice.

New Format

Instead of a Blue vs. White scrimmage, Campbell simply ran his traditional practice, which began with a full-team stretch and then transitioned to positional/individual drills. After a handful of reps for each player, the team gathered at midfield and then broke into offense and defense for seven-on-seven reps, which do not include any linemen and strictly forbid tackling. Periodically, the announcement was made that a string of reps would be “live”, meaning full contact was permitted. Essentially, there weren’t any quarters, timeouts, punts, or legitimate scores being kept. Instead, it served as a great way for the entire depth chart to get crucial reps against real competition.

Rainy Conditions

As we mentioned, the weather was not ideal for a spring game. It was gloomy, cold, and constantly drizzling, soaking the field and the football. We saw the receivers struggle mightily to catch passes during the individual route-running period.

Minimal Attendance

The Beaver Stadium crowd was non-existent on Saturday, which could be due to several reasons. Of course, the weather was awful, and the switch to a practice rather than a true scrimmage might have lessened the interest. Plus, a lot of folks only care to tailgate during Blue-White Weekend, but the consensus opinion was that this was the worst turnout in decades. It couldn’t have felt good for the many new Nittany Lions on the roster to see so little support from supposedly one of the best fan bases in the country. Assuredly, that will not be the case in the fall.

Beaver Stadium Construction Update

As construction continues at Beaver Stadium, the progress is becoming visible. The upper bowl renovations give the stadium a dauntingly high appearance, something that will serve the Nittany Lions well when over 110,000 fans pack the stands and create an abyss of noise. The side facing University Drive is noticeably thicker as well, protruding farther than before. Not to be impatient, but chop chop!

Connor Barry

Quarterback Connor Barry had a solid performance during the seven-on-seven periods. He handled the majority of the reps due to the limited availability of starting quarterback Rocco Becht. The senior from Christopher Newport was effective at reading the coverage and getting the ball out, even in the rain. He’s made an early case to be Penn State’s backup signal caller.

James Peoples

Running back James Peoples, a former four-star recruit who transferred from Ohio State this winter, looked like the lead back on Saturday. He was bursty throughout team drills and frequently bounced in and out of gaps for big runs on the ground. Obviously, contact was limited, but Peoples looks primed to lead this Nittany Lion backfield in the fall.