Spring football in the Happy Valley ended in style as Penn State’s Blue-White Game came with a lot of surprises. And with that came a glimpse into what the 2025 season would look like for the Nittany Lions. Team White went on to win 10-8 over Team Blue. But the real headlines were not the win itself.
The headline came from how the coaching staff rotated players and the overall vibe of the scrimmage. Unlike a typical game day at Beaver Stadium, this was more of a controlled experiment, giving fans an early peek at rising stars and potential changes for next year. And two names, in particular, stood out.
Penn State’s Blue-White Game Delivers Wild Finish As Freshmen Take Over
The afternoon started off with a slow burn, with both teams easing into the game with seven-on-seven drills. Drew Allar worked through a series of short passes while the defense tested new formations.
A few early points came when freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer connected with Joey Schlaffer for a first down, and Team White chipped away to grab a slim 3-2 lead by the end of the first quarter. But the goosebumps moment came in the second quarter.
From today’s #PennStateFootball Blue-White Game, Jaxon Smolik connects with freshman WR Lyrick Samuel for the best score of the spring football finale. Team White wins 10-8.
More on #PennState‘s intra-squad clash to come on @FOX43/@FOX43Sports and @NittanyGameWeek. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/tuWMDmJpgP
— Ryan Ye (@RyanJYe) April 27, 2025
In the second quarter, Jaxon Smolik, the redshirt sophomore quarterback, came onto the field. After escaping pressure and hitting Amiel Davis for a first down, Smolik decided to go big. On the very next play, he unleashed a deep bomb downfield. And freshman wide receiver Lyrick Samuel answered the call.
Samuel is a 6’4″ freshman from Brooklyn. He shook his defender and made a stunning grab, sprinting into the end zone for a 47-yard touchdown. The crowd, as expected, went bonkers at Beaver Stadium.
And just like that, Team White grabbed a 10-2 lead heading into halftime. It was the perfect spring game moment. And the world instantly took notice of Smolik and Samuel’s partnership.
This is no flashy play thought. It was a show of where Penn State’s depth chart could be heading. Smolik has been battling injuries since arriving at Penn State. He was, however, a great quarterback during his high school days, where he earned 5A all-state honours and threw for nearly 2,000 yards in his senior year.
Saturday’s game was a glimpse of that skill.
And as for Samuel, he lived up to every bit of the hype he carried out of Erasmus Hall High School. As per ESPN and On3, Samuel is a four-star recruit who was one of the best in the New York high school football scene. He had over 1,100 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns across his final two seasons.
And no doubt, his size, speed, and soft hands showed in the 47-yard score.
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With Samuel and Smolik, even though Team Blue fought back behind a touchdown from Quinton Martin Jr., and had a late surge in momentum, it wasn’t enough. Their failed two-point conversion kept Team White ahead, and a few late defensive stands sealed the 10-8 win.
This game for Penn State was about finding the future playmakers. Thanks to Smolik and Samuel, they may have found two big ones.
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