Penn State Football: 5 Players Who Will Break out in the Blue-White Game

The 2012 Blue-White game will be eagerly observed by Penn State faithful.

The game will kickoff at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon in front of an expectant Beaver Stadium crowd.

This year's game will be different than past years. New coaches are running the show in Happy Valley, and a new scoring system for the game has been put into place.

Some things will also stay the same. Stars will perform, others will cause groans and a few others will break out in front of the Nittany Lion fans.

Here are five players fans should expect big things from on Saturday.

Deion Barnes

Deion Barnes will backup Sean Stanley and Pete Massaro this season. On Saturday, Barnes will show why he could eventually be better than both of them.

Barnes redshirted last season. The extra year of experience will pay dividends as he works his way into Penn State's relatively thin rotation this season.

Barnes is a above-average athlete with a versatile game. He is strong enough to hold the line and slow down the run, or he can chase down quarterbacks in the backfield.

Penn State thrives when their front four pressure the quarterback with no extra blitzers. Barnes could play a pivotal role in that, even if he is just used in certain situations.

Barnes will get plenty of opportunities to show his stuff on Saturday. Penn State fans will be intrigued by this defensive end's raw ability.

Garry Gilliam

Garry Gilliam will get his chance on Saturday to earn Penn State's starting tight end spot. Gilliam will seize the moment.

The Nittany Lions want to use their tight ends more this season. Now, Penn State's tight ends need to prove they are ready for the undertaking.

Gilliam is not experienced or proven in any way. He is a converted defensive end who has led an injury-plagued career thus far. In Bill O'Brien's new offense, Gilliam will have his chance to erase any doubts about his talents.

Penn State will get an idea of what they have at tight end throughout the Blue-White game. Gilliam will be incorporated into the offense, and his big frame could create mismatches underneath.

Gilliam is healthy and athletic. He will improve as he gets more comfortable.

Look for Gilliam to take a big step forward on Saturday.

Khairi Fortt

*Khairi Fortt is doubtful for Saturday's game. 

Khairi Fortt is Penn State's most athletic linebacker. He is already a household name to some, but he will have a big game on Saturday.

Penn State's linebacking corps got a bit thinner on Wednesday. Fifth-year senior James Van Fleet tore his ACL and will miss the 2012 season. This is not a big blow, but someone just got a few more snaps.

Those snaps could go to Penn State's No. 1 backup, Fortt.

Fortt's athleticism and sideline-to-sideline speed fit perfectly into Penn State's defense. He plays well against the run and can drop into coverage as well.

Gerald Hodges, Glenn Carson and Michael Mauti are going to start the season for Penn State. Fortt will earn his time, especially with Mauti's absence from Saturday's contest.

Fortt will get a ton of snaps on Saturday and will show why he may be Penn State's best NFL linebacker prospect.

Alex Kenney

*Kenney will not play in the Blue-White game with a knee/ankle injury.

Alex Kenney will get a chance to solidify a starting spot on Saturday. Kenney has had an excellent spring and could be Penn State's slot receiver this season.

Devon Smith's sprained left foot will hold him out of the remainder of spring activities. This leaves the door wide open for players like Kenney to impress their new coaches.

Kenney's main asset is his elite speed and quickness. He lacks size, but will outrun most opponents. Kenney's ability to change directions makes him extremely tough to bring down in the open field.

The Nittany Lions will use anything they can to score points this season. Kenney is a home run threat who could play a major part in that.

Expect Kenney to get a lot of attention in the Blue-White game on Saturday. Fans will be amazed when they see this guy move.

Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the most talked about player in Penn State circles. That will not change until this season is over.

Jones' academic issues appear to be resolved. This puts him in the thick of a three-way quarterback battle. Given Penn State's dismal quarterback play last season, Jones is the obvious fan favorite coming into Saturday's scrimmage.

Jones has the arm and mobility to be a solid dual-threat quarterback. He lacks experience and some question his focus. Either way, he is a tantalizing option because of his athleticism.

Penn State's 2012 success will ride heavily on someone's arm. Jones knows he has a shot to grab the inside track for Penn State's starting job on Saturday.

Jones will finally answer the call and give Penn State fans something to be excited about.