Penn State Football Begins 2024 Training Camp. Here's What to Watch

The Nittany Lions have a month to prepare for their season opener at West Virginia.

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Harrison Wallace III (6) runs with the ball while trying to avoid a tackle from safety Lamont Payne Jr. during the Blue-White Game. / Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

A fresh supply of Nittany Lion-stamped footballs will make their way across freshly cut grass at the Penn State football practice facility Wednesday, marking the start of training camp. Head coach James Franklin is likely to pop on the shades as he begins the preseason evaluation of his 2024 roster and three new coordinators.

Football has returned, and few teams are likely as bubbly with anticipation as Penn State. That’s because an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff sits on the horizon, and qualification is no longer a hope, but an expectation.

Here are some training camp keys to watch as Penn State begins preparing for its Aug. 31 season opener at West Virginia.

Next step for Drew Allar

A full year of starting quarterback experience “has grown” Drew Allar’s comfort level. Whether his relaxed tenor and understanding of his high-pressure role will show up on the field remains to be seen.

The success of the Nittany Lions relies heavily, or even specifically, on Allar’s ability to perform in big games and lead an offense that was anything but explosive last season. Allar’s connection with new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, known for his explosive offenses at Kansas, should be in full effect Wednesday.

Wide receiver explosiveness

There’s likely no significant step forward for Allar if Penn State’s wide receivers don’t improve. Last season’s No. 1 option KeAndre Lambert-Smith is at Auburn, so the keys to the room have been handed to Harrison Wallace III and Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming to lead the way.

Injuries plagued Wallace’s 2023 campaign, and his health, as well as the historically injury-prone Fleming, is crucial to Penn State’s passing game. As they did last season, the Nittany Lions are still searching for a third wide receiver to separate from the pack. Some names to watch for the No. 3 spot: Omari Evans, Kaden Saunders and Liam Clifford.

Penn State wide receiver Julian Fleming joins the Nittany Lions' offense after spending four years at Ohio State. / Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Coordinators settled in

Having spent six months familiarizing themselves with the program, Penn State’s three new coordinators should be full-speed by Wednesday. The playbooks of Kotelnicki, defensive coordinator Tom Allen and special teams coordinator Justin Lustig should be well-known by players at this point, and training camp should serve as an opportunity to polish new schemes before the year begins.

Position battles

The wide receiver battle draws the most eyes and could continue into the season. But a few positions also have unfinished depth charts heading into camp.

With the exception of left tackle (Drew Shelton) and right guard (Sal Wormley), every other spot on the starting offensive line is up for grabs. JB Nelson, who made eight starts in 2023, and Vega Ioane, who started five, are set to battle it out at left guard. Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci will compete with redshirt freshman Anthony Donkoh at right tackle. And veteran Nick Dawkins could see some pressure from true freshman Cooper Cousins.

Cornerback is the defense’s most intriguing position. The Nittany Lions replace a trio of de facto starters with a six-player rotation of new and returning talent. Returnees Cam Miller, Zion Tracy and Elliott Washington II join are joined by SEC transfers A.J. Harris (Georgia), Jalen Kimber (Florida) and Audavion Collins (Mississippi State in 2023). Collins is one to watch. After playing in six games for the Lions last season, Collins had what position coach Terry Smith called “the best spring of everybody.”

At kicker, Sander Sahaydak is likely the favorite after initially winning the starting job to start 2023. However, he’ll face another competitive camp, this time against redshirt freshman Ryan Barker and Tulsa transfer Chase Meyer.

More Penn State Football

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Seth Engle has covered Penn State football and men’s basketball for the past four years, most recently serving as the football editor of the Daily Collegian. His work has appeared in the Associated Press, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PennLive, Centre Daily Times and more. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @bigsengtweets.