The Blue-White Game, and spring games in general, have undergone a massive shift in recent years. In fact, it will now be known as the “Blue-White Practice” in the first spring session of the Matt Campbell Era.
The Blue-White practice will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and unfortunately, it is not expected to be televised. Jared went over some offensive players to keep an eye on during practice, so now we’ll take a stab at the defensive side of the ball. Here are some guys that may be due for an expanded
role in 2026:
DB Zion Tracy
Zion Tracy’s decision to return under the Matt Campbell regime was massive for Penn State, given the losses of Zakee Wheatley, King Mack, DeJuan Lane, and other members of the 2025 safety room. A bit of continuity will go a long way here, and Campbell has already raved about Tracy’s ability to play safety, cornerback, and nickel. Safeties coach Deon Broomfield confirmed that senior literally may play all three positions throughout the season.
Tracy played primarily at nickel or as the hybrid defensive back in the “Prowler Package” in 2025 but never truly broke out. He finished the season with 32 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble, but failed to record an interception, which he did twice in 2024. He’s a prime candidate to take a big step forward in 2026.
DB Daryus Dixson
Dixson was a coveted recruit in Penn State’s 2024 class, coming from the famed Mater Dei High School, and chose to stay in Happy Valley despite his West Coast roots. He’s in line to take on a full-blown starting role in his sophomore season after appearing in all 13 games last year, forcing two fumbles and breaking up six passes. He had a stellar Pinstripe Bowl performance, too, setting him up to carry major momentum into 2026. Throw fellow second-year rising star Jahmir Joseph into the mix, and Penn State has things cooking in the secondary.
LB Alex Tatsch
Alex Tatsch is another second-year player who came into Penn State as a well-praised recruit, finishing high school as Greater Latrobe’s (Latrobe, PA) all-time leading tackler. He appeared in the Nittany Lions’ final five games last year before suffering an injury ahead of the Pinstripe Bowl, but was working his way up the depth chart. The sophomore is still largely a “project,” but folks in the linebacker room are surely waiting for him to bloom into a well-rounded player.
DT Keanu Williams
UCLA transfer Keanu Williams is shaping up to be a huge piece of a beefed-up Penn State interior defensive line. The California native is due for his sixth season of collegiate football and was identified by Campbell as a player who’s grown a lot this spring. His stats on a floundering Bruins team didn’t jump off the page, but he’s got all the tools at 6’5” and 329 pounds. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s fared in the Nittany Lions’ weight room and where he fits in among fellow transfers Siale Taupaki, Armstrong Nnodim, and Dallas Vakalahi.
DE LaVar Arrington II
Sorry, but I had to. Sophomore LaVar Arrington II is amid a change from linebacker to defensive end, and it’ll be interesting to see how far he’s progressed. It might be a long shot to expect him to play a major role in Penn State’s 2026 defense, especially since he almost exclusively played on special teams last year, but the upside is there…and the name carries a lot of weight in Happy Valley.
