Penn State Football: 5 Storylines Heading into Spring Ball

This should be a tricky season for the Nittany Lions as they have a new head coach and will begin a new season without Joe Paterno by their side.

Penn State returns a total of 10 starters, and it should be an interesting year as they begin a new chapter in their great history.

Although we still may be months away from college football kicking off, spring ball is right around the corner. The Nittany Lions first spring practice is scheduled for March 26, and the spring game will take place on April 21.

As we get ready for everything spring has to offer, here are the top five storylines to pay attention to.

Offensive Line Is in Trouble

Penn State's offensive line will look completely different next season as they are missing a total of four starters from a year ago.

Only center Matt Stankiewitch returns as Johnnie Troutman, Quinn Barham, Chima Okoli and DeOn’tae Pannell all graduated last season.

That of course leaves huge holes on the line and forces young players to step up right away for the Nittany Lions.

Nearly every spot on the line is up for grabs, and you can expect an intense battle throughout the entire spring. Offensive line coach Mac McWhorter has done some great work throughout his career, but this will likely be his biggest challenge to try and put together a respectable unit by the time fall rolls around.

Somebody Must Step Up at WR

Penn State lost their leading receiver in Derek Moye, but that doesn't mean they will necessarily miss him. The Nittany Lions have a lot of talented receivers on this team, they just need to step up and fulfill their potential. 

Justin Brown and Devon Smith caught a combined 60 passes for early 1,000 yards and four touchdowns last season. Brown has great height at 6'3", 214 pounds and can go up and get it with the best of them. Smith has fantastic speed and can really stretch the defense.

Other receivers such as Curtis Drake and Shawney Kersey also have great speed, just need more playing time to show what they have to offer. With questions at the quarterback position, it's important that the receivers step up and make things easier for whoever is throwing the ball. 

The talent is there. Time to show and prove.

Who Will Play Quarterback?

Penn State was absolutely brutal throwing the football last season, and that's putting it nicely. Their passing game finished ranked 96th in the country, as Penn State relied heavily on their running game and defense to finish the year with a 9-4 record.

The good news is that head coach Bill O'Brien has done wonders working with quarterbacks, but this may be his tallest task yet. Both Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden have seen significant playing time the last couple of years, but neither has made much progress. There's a young quarterback in Paul Jones on the roster, but he has yet to even throw the football.

This is by far the biggest question heading into the season for the Nittany Lions, and neither of the answers looks too rewarding.

Can Bill O'Brien Turn This Program Around?

Bill O'Brien has done great work throughout his coaching career but has never been a head coach or coached at the collegiate level. Now, he's the head coach of one of the most prestigious programs that is currently experiencing an ongoing sex scandal.

Turning this program around was going to be hard enough, but when you add the fact that you don't have a true quarterback and only 10 starters return, things look like they'll get worse before they get better for the Nittany Lions.

How Will They Deal with Distractions?

While most schools will be able to focus on just the football side of things leading up to the regular season, Penn State will have to handle things a little bit differently.

Not only do they have a new head coach in Bill O'Brien who's never been a head coach and is replacing a legend in Joe Paterno, but they also have a sex scandal that's still hanging over the university and will continue to draw questions throughout the year.

These are things that can either make or break a team, and it's even more interesting with a new head coach having to deal with it all.

This may take a while to see exactly how it affects this team, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Randy Chambers is a B/R featured columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail].