Penn State University: 2015 Blue-White Game day

 UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions will wrap up spring drills on Saturday afternoon at the annual Blue-White Game Presented by AAA inside Beaver Stadium, marking the culmination of a productive spring practice season. The game will kick at 4 p.m. with live television coverage from BTN. Both parking and admission are free.

Penn State made significant progress on both sides of the ball and on special teams during the allotted practice period for spring drills. Saturday's game marks the final opportunity for the coaching staff to evaluate the team before the start of training camp in early August.

"We've had a great spring. The fact that we returned our entire staff was really valuable," head coach James Franklin said. "I think we are the only staff in the Big Ten that did that. I think that has been helpful in building on the foundation we laid last year."

In year two under Franklin and the coaching staff, the Nittany Lions have been productive every time they have stepped on the field since practice began on March 20. With increased knowledge of the schemes, practice routine and more depth, the Lions have been able to approach this spring differently than they did one year ago.

"It's night and day (between this year and last year)," said Franklin. "...We have more depth. We have more bodies. Just across the board, the players understand the expectation. I think we are in a situation now where we have everybody on the same page. It's not even close. Our practices have been able to be more a little bit more aggressive and a little bit more physical because of the depth that we have. Just across the board, from top to bottom, it's like watching a different team.

While Saturday's game will be a fun way for the team to put on a show for the fans, it's a chance for the players and staff to work through typical game-like conditions.

"I think it's a great opportunity for us to get out in front of a crowd," quarterback Christian Hackenberg said. "It's a great weekend for the fans because there is so much going on. It's a little bit of a show, but at the same time it's work. A lot of these guys have never really had reps in front of fans at this level. It's a great opportunity to go out, have fun and immerse yourself in what a gameday feel is."

The work to prepare for 2015 is just beginning for the Nittany Lions, but the spring period set the tone for the rest of the academic semester and summer conditioning program. Franklin is very optimistic about the direction the team is headed in, and he is looking forward to getting in front of the Beaver Stadium crowd.

"Spring has gone really well in all three phases," said Franklin. "We still have a lot of work to do. We still have a lot of progress that we are going to need to make between now and the start of the season against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field. We are excited. We are excited about playing the spring game. We are hoping to have a good crowd. The weather is supposed to be great."

Take a look through some Blue-White items to watch as the Nittany Lions wrap up spring practice for 2015.

Autograph Session Return

The popular pre-game autograph session returns for the second-straight year. Parking lots around Beaver Stadium will open at 8 a.m. The team will arrive at the South Tunnel at approximately 12:30 p.m. Gates A and B will open at 1 p.m. before the autograph session on the field from 1:15-2 p.m. 

Fans are asked to enter the field through the South Tunnel. The offensive players will be signing on the West side of the field (please enter through gate B) and the defensive squad will be on the East side (please enter through gate A). Fans will go through the single-file line and get autographs from either the offense or defense before exiting the field through the North Tunnel. Those seeking additional autographs will need to return to the South Tunnel the re-enter the line.

The players will be permitted to sign one item per person to give as many fans as possible an opportunity to meet the squad. The players will not be available for photographs during the autograph session.

Game Format

The Blue-White Game will feature regular scoring. The squad has been split into a Blue team and a White team. Quarterbacks will wear the opposite jersey color of their team (Blue team QBs will wear White jerseys; White team QBs will wear Blue jerseys). The game will have four quarters, each 15 minutes in length. The first quarter will have normal game timing. Quarters two, three and four will feature a running clock. There will be 22-minute halftime intermission. Prior to the 4:06 p.m. kickoff, a placekicking competition will be held on the field. Prior to the start of the second half, a punting competition will be held on the field.

Take a look through the breakdown here - http://www.gopsusports.com/