Winners and Losers from the Penn State Spring Football Game

Penn State's defense led the way on Saturday as Penn State put a cap on their annual spring practices, but who were the individuals who stood out the most, for better or worse?

Here is a look at five players who made a statement and a case for some playing time in the fall, and some who took a step backward in their quest for a starting job.

Winner: Zach Zwinak, Fullback

Zach Zwinak is a player that has been flying under the radar a little bit, but if Saturday's Blue-White Game was any indication, he is becoming a contributor in the new style offense. Zwinak scored the first touchdown of the game for the offense, on a six-yard run, and he ended the day second in rushing with 37 net yards.

Penn State used Zwinak in short-yardage situations and that should be what continues in the fall to give Silas Redd a break when needed.

Winner: Bill Belton, Running Back

While Zwinak had himself a good all-around performance, it was hard not to like what you saw out of Bill Belton, who converted from wide receiver this spring. Belton was used as a Wildcat option last fall, and on Saturday he showed why with his speed and shifty moves.

Belton led the team with 50 rushing yards and a touchdown, breaking one attempt loose for 20 yards. Belton would best be used from time to time in the fall, with Redd leading the way on the ground. When used sparingly, Belton will have the potential to change the tempo of a game around in a hurry.

Winner: Jesse Della Valle, Cornerback

One of the unsung heroes from the game was Jesse Della Valle, who turned one interception in to a big defensive gain for 35 yards. In addition to his big play of the game, perhaps the biggest of the day for the defense, he also broke up one other play. What was impressive was his ability to realize the pass from Matt McGloin was being lofted in to the air, and he jumped on the floater perfectly, and if he had a little more room to work with he likely would have gone for a touchdown.

How much is he flying under the radar? So much so that no major media outlet has a photo available of him before today started!

Loser: Offensive Line

All spring we heard great things about the improvement of the offensive line. Saturday's performance may have been a mirage as the defense overall is ahead of the offense, but the bottom line is the offensive line showed room for improvement.

The defense recorded eight sacks in the game and always seemed to have pressure on the quarterbacks from start to finish. Except for a few solid running plays, the offensive line was adequate. Are they stronger? They may be, and it may just be a little more time before the entire unit finds their groove.

The good news is there is plenty of time to find that rhythm for the offensive line.

Loser: Rob Bolden

Rob Bolden thinks he has done enough to prove he should be the starting quarterback for the third straight season opener. His three interceptions and 50 percent completion percentage may disagree.

Bolden had more interceptions than Paul Jones and Matt McGloin combined for and he was sacked twice. He had one really nice drop back and throw to Allen Robinson in the second half that went for a big gain but for the most part it appeared that Bolden was struggling to get off a solid pass attempt.

Only time will tell just how this all shakes out under center, and where Bolden fits in to the mix. Bolden has some catching up to do over the summer, though, as McGloin and Jones appear to be ahead of the curve in comparison.

Kevin McGuire is the host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast, managing editor of Nittany Lions Den and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.