UNIVERSITY PARK — A perfect mix of clear skies and sun greeted Nittany Lion fans as 61,000 watched Blue top White, 24-7, in the annual Blue-White Game to close out the spring practice calendar for the Penn State football program.
Watch the video below for highlights from the game:
Inside the Numbers
Two – Touchdowns by Cain
Freshman running back Noah Cain found the end zone twice on Saturday, once for each team. The Baton Rouge native scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter for the White squad. He added an 8-yard touchdown reception, from sophomore quarterback Sean Clifford in the fourth quarter. Cain totaled 45 rushing yards on 12 carries and 13 yards on two catches.
Four – Red Zone Opportunities
The teams combined to go 4-for-4 in the red zone. The Blue team was 3-for-3, with two touchdowns and a field goal, while White converted one opportunity in the red zone. The Nittany Lions scored on nearly 90 percent of its opportunities inside the opposing 20 in 2018.
Four – Completions by Johnson
Freshman quarterback Michael Johnson Jr. completed all four of his first half pass attempts for the White squad. His four completions totaled 36 yards. Johnson led a touchdown drive in the second quarter. He found freshman wide out Henry Fessler for 15- and 7-yard completions and sophomore receiver Alec Berger hauled in a 9-yard reception. Cain finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Six – Sacks by Blue
The Blue squad found its way into the backfield frequently, tallying 10 tackles for loss and six sacks. Freshman defensive end Jayson Oweh, sophomore defensive tackle Damion Barber, junior defensive tackle Antonio Shelton, freshman linebacker Lance Dixon, sophomore defensive tackle PJ Mustipher and sophomore defensive tackle Fred Hansard each recorded a sack. Barber and Dixon collected two tackles for loss. Freshman defensive end Adisa Isaac recorded a sack for the White team.
Six – Tackles by Brooks, Smith
Sophomore linebacker Ellis Brooks led the Blue team with six tackles, including two solo. Freshman linebacker Brandon Smith tallied six stops to pace the White squad. Smith had three solo stops and broke up a pass.
35 – Yard Field Goal by Pinegar
Sophomore Jake Pinegar nailed a 35-yard field goal attempt to close the second quarter, giving the Blue team a 10-7 lead going into halftime. The field goal completed an eight-play, 31-yard drive led by Clifford. The Cincinnati native completed a 6-yard pass to freshman tight end Zack Kuntz and an 8-yard pass to sophomore running back Ricky Slade. Clifford added an 11-yard run and a 6-yard run to setup the field goal.
42.8 – Gillikin’s Punt Average
Senior punter Blake Gillikin seemed to already be in midseason form, averaging 42.8 yards on four punts. He hit a 42-yard punt in the first quarter. His long punt of the day was a 48-yard punt, fair caught at the White 10, in the second quarter and he added a 45-yard punt in the fourth quarter.
59 – Yard Touchdown Turns Into Scholarship
Fifth-year senior Dan Chisena caught a 59-yard touchdown pass from freshman Will Levis in the third quarter. Upon reaching the end zone, Head Coach James Franklin announced to the crowd that Chisena has earned a scholarship. Chisena was a walk-on for the football team in 2015 before joining the Penn State track & field team from 2016-18, where he was a scholarship and Big Ten title-winning sprinter. He returned to the football team as a walk-on in 2018.
77 – Yard Touchdown Drive
Clifford led a nine-play, 77-yard drive to give the Blue squad a 7-0 lead with 1:41 to go in the first quarter. Senior tight end Nick Bowers sparked the drive with a 19-yard catch and added a 35-yard reception later in the drive. Slade caught a 11-yard pass and had four carries, with his final carry going for a 1-yard score.
86 – Nittany Lions that saw the field in the Blue-White Game
With multiple position battles, continuing into Fall camp, and playing opportunities available, there were 86 student-athletes who saw the field on Saturday. Of the guys that saw the field, 10 of them were early enrollees, as Cain, Dixon, Keaton Ellis, Isaac, Johnson Jr., Ta’Quan Roberson, Tyler Rudolph, Smith, Brenton Strange and Anthony Whigan all saw playing time.
204 – Passing Yards by Blue
Clifford and Levis combined to throw for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Clifford completed 11-of-19 passes for 118 yards, including Cain’s 8-yard touchdown reception. Levis completed 4-of-7 attempts for 86 yards, including Chisena’s 59-yard score. Nine different players hauled in receptions for the Blue squad. Chisena had two grabs for 75 yards and Bowers had two catches for 54 yards. Clifford led Blue with six carries for 31 yards.
61,000 – Fans filled the stands
For the sixth-straight season, the Penn State faithful showed up in large numbers to cheer on the Penn State football student-athletes in the annual spring scrimmage. It marks the sixth year in a row with an attendance of 60,000 or more.
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