Two Penn State offensive players were back on the field for Wednesday’s spring practice – a potential starter and a reserve with upside. Veteran offensive tackle Nolan Rucci, who started on the right side for the injured Anthony Donkoh during the Nittany Lions’ stretch run to the college football playoff a year ago,

Spring storyline: The Nittany Lions snagged Jim Knowles, who just coordinated the No. 1 defense in college football last season at Ohio State. Penn State made him the highest-paid coordinator in the country ($3.1 million). Knowles will begin molding the Nittany Lions defense this spring, with plenty of talent to deploy.

Penn State closes spring football drills Saturday with the annual Blue-White Game, which the program cautioned will be "non-traditional." That largely revolves around the game's logistics, as Beaver Stadium is a construction site during the early stages of its multi-year renovation.