Projected Penn State printable depth chart: West Virginia
Penn State football no longer provides an official depth chart. So, Blue-White Illustrated has taken up the task of projecting one each week, presented here as a printable file.
And, ahead of the season-opener against West Virginia, it should come in handy.
While quarterback Drew Allar hasn’t been named the starter officially, we’re taking the liberty of putting the true sophomore in the top spot at the position this week. Discussed at length by head coach James Franklin this week, without making an announcement, the expectations for Allar provide ample evidence for what’s to come.
“Obviously you’re going to learn a lot. He’s played, o we kind of have an understanding of that. But there’s a difference being the starter and playing starter-type reps,” Franklin said Wednesday. “At the end of the day, I want him to continue to play like he did last year, with poise, and a really good understanding of how to manage the game. I also want him to let the plays come to him. Because, with our running game, and with the weapons that we have at tight end and wide receiver, he doesn’t need to force anything. He doesn’t have to feel like he’s got too much on his shoulders.
“Between our defense, our special teams our running game, I feel like we can go out there and just call the game the way we want to call it. But I want him to feel like, ‘Hey, I got enough weapons around me. I just got to manage the game and allow my experience and confidence to grow as the season goes on.'”
Other notable projections
Following the news on Wednesday that Landon Tengwall was medically retiring from football due to injuries, the Nittany Lions’ options on the offensive line have clarified. Though down a significant piece with Tengwall’s absence, JB Nelson is primed to slide into the starting left guard spot.
Further, the depth supplied by Vega Ioane and true freshman Anthony Donkoh comes into focus.
“We’ve been getting those guys reps now for a while, at least over a week. Vega has shown some really positive sides, and some flashes. Anthony Donkoh has come in probably further ahead than we anticipated,” Franklin said. “He’s an example of a guy that committed to Penn State, we encouraged him to come every single camp, and he did. I think him and his family drove three to four hours up to six camps, and worked which Coach Trautwein.
“He just got around the program, and he came in really advanced. So we’re proud of him, and he’s doing a nice job. But obviously, those guys and their development was always important, but it just got magnified.”
Peruse the projected Penn State football depth chart by scrolling further. Then print by downloading at the link below. You can also print off our updated roster here.
