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Penn State Football: 3 Players with the Most to Prove in the Blue-White Game – Offense Edition

By Morgan Chapman

Apr 23, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Kaden Saunders (7) looks for a way around safety Zakee Wheatley (6) during the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The defense defeated the offense 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Kaden Saunders (7) looks for a way around safety Zakee Wheatley (6) during the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The defense defeated the offense 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kaden Saunders

Apr 23, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Kaden Saunders (7) looks for a way around safety Zakee Wheatley (6) during the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The defense defeated the offense 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Kaden Saunders (7) looks for a way around safety Zakee Wheatley (6) during the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The defense defeated the offense 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /

Kaden Saunders enters his redshirt freshman season at Penn State in 2023. The former 4-star prospect from Columbus, Ohio has yet to make his mark on the Penn State football team.

He appeared in 3 games during the 2022 season and he made 2 receptions for 21 yards.
To me, it felt like Saunders’s freshman year was more about adjusting to college life and the college football game. I would expect him to have a larger role on the team in year 2.

I could see him in more special team situations for example, to see a guy like Saunders returning punts for Penn State football would be exciting. I also think this is his path to more playing time during traditional offensive snaps.

If he can gain the coaching staff’s trust by making good decisions as the team’s punt returner, by mid-season he could carve out a swiss-army knife role for himself on the 2023 team. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich has the opportunity to hand the ball off to Saunders in a jet-sweep motion, or even designed screen passes. If Penn State can get this guy the ball in the open space, good things will happen.

The Blue-White game is a perfect opportunity to see Saunders shine. He should see a heavy workload on Saturday and needs to take advantage of this opportunity. He’s just too talented of a player to not see the field this season in my opinion.

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