Penn State Football: 10 Things to Expect for the 2012 Blue-White Spring Game

The Penn State Nittany Lions kickoff their spring practice on April 21 as they try to turn the page after such a terrible season off the field.

The spring game is just a warm-up for the team to see what they need to work on and where their strengths are. It's also a chance for players at the bottom of the depth chart to improve their ranking on the team. Overall, it should be very beneficial for everybody and answer a few questions head coach Bill O'Brien and company have going into the game.

Here are 10 things to expect for the Penn State Nittany Lions spring game.

Quicker Defense

Penn State had a solid defense last season and looks to build on that success. One way to accomplish that is to run a quicker tempo and show the opposing offense different looks. There's no more standing around and letting the offense run the show. The Nittany Lions are going to try and keep the offense off-balance.

"There's a lot of movement," safety Malcolm Willis said via ESPN, "where in the past we were stationary before the ball was snapped. Now we have a lot of looks to give the offense and there is more activeness from the secondary, linebackers, and even the defensive line."

This should be very successful once the players understand their assignments. It should also be very fun to watch for the fans in the spring game and throughout the regular season.

Bill Belton Makes Easy Transition

Bill Belton saw a little bit of action last season in the wildcat formation and averaged over five yards a carry doing so. Now he'll end up playing the running back position instead of wide receiver due to the lack of depth at the position. There isn't any guarantee Belton will see a ton of carries, but he could be a very valuable weapon in this offense. 

He's a quick player who has had success running the ball and has the ability to catch balls out of the backfield with his receiver experience. Expect him to have an impact in the spring game and make a strong case for touches.

More Creative Plays

Penn State had one of the worst offenses in the country last season, averaging less than 20 points per game. Word is now out that the playbook was simple and that the players are overwhelmed with the new one but excited about the opportunities it's going to bring.

"The past playbook was kind of simple," said wide receiver Justin Brown via Altoonamirror.com, "but this one's a lot more creative."

Brown also went on to say how fun it's going to be playing in the new offense once everybody understands the playbook a little bit better.

"It's kind of like we're all freshmen again," Brown said via The Morning Call. "Everything is new. Nobody is experienced in the system, and everybody is learning on the fly. That's beneficial. It's going to be really exciting after we get it down."

It should also be exciting to the fans to see exactly what new plays are being worked on and how this new style of offense will work for the new Nittany Lions.

Tight Ends Involved a Lot More

The new playbook is taking a toll on the tight ends as well, but they may have to learn the plays quicker than anyone. This is a guy that used several different tight ends when he was running the New England Patriots offense.

So players such as Kevin Haplea, Dakota Royer, Brian Irvin, Jesse James and redshirt junior Garry Gilliam have to quickly step up on the offensive end, as they're all competing for more playing time than they've ever received.

"They put a lot of time in, and they're going to be a big part of what we do," head coach Bill O'Brien said via The Pittsburgh Post Gazette

A Motivated Club

Let's be honest, last season couldn't have gone any worse for the Penn State program, mostly with all of the off the field issues. With the majority of that in the past and with the club now being able to focus on the football side of things, I'd expect to see a motivated and excited football team. Expectations may not be as high as they usually are for Penn State, but they still have something to prove to the rest of the nation.

Nothing is going to feel better than going out on that field and beginning a new season of Penn State football. It pretty much starts with the spring game.

Offensive Line to Remain an Issue

It seems like every season the Nittany Lions have redone their offensive line, and this season is much of the same. Four of the five starters from last season are no longer on the roster. The good news is that players are stepping up, and it looks like this could be an easier fix than it usually is.

“There’s nothing fancy about it,” guard John Urschel said via statecollege.com. “The top five offensive linemen play.”

Discovering five starters on one unit will take a bit more time than one spring game.

Quarterback Battle to Remain a Battle

With new head coach Bill O'Brien used to having Tom Brady as a quarterback, it's easy to understand the frustration he must be feeling with the two quarterbacks he currently has on the roster. Neither Matt McGloin or Rob Bolden was great last season, and they haven't done much in the spring to separate from one another.

“I want to see guys' decision-making get better,” O'Brien said via Scout.com. “I want to see their accuracy get better. I want to see them, obviously, grasp the offense better than they are right now.”

Don't expect a decision to be made anytime soon at this position.

Aggresive Defense

Penn State's defense was one of the main reasons they ended up winning so many games last season, as they finished ranked sixth in the Big Ten. This season they expect to turn it up a couple of notches and become more aggressive as a unit.

"It's going to be a multiple aggressive defense. We're going to be flying around showing a lot of different looks," linebacker Michael Mauti said via York Daily Record.

I'm sure Penn State fans don't mind at all.

Offense to Struggle

And with all of that said, you can expect Penn State's offense to struggle, as it's the unit that is always a step or two behind. But when you have a new head coach and are missing six starters on the offensive side of the ball, it becomes a little more difficult to get going.

The defense seems to be on the right track, but the offense will need a little bit more time and several more practices before they become a respectable unit.

A Solid Spring Performance

Any time you have a new head coach, spring is extremely important to try and get more comfortable with everybody and get on the same page. That's why I believe this spring will be a success for Penn State regardless of what happens. Sure, Penn State has plenty of questions, as they only return 10 starters, but the much-needed time to a victory in itself.

Expect to see a solid overall spring game, as the Nittany Lions turn a new page in their history.