Penn State football 'availability report': Who won't play vs. West Virginia?

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. − Penn State football may be without its two top backup tight ends in today's season-opener at West Virginia.

Junior Khalil Dinkins and sophomore Jerry Cross were both ruled out of action for the Top 10 Nittany Lions , via this morning's Big Ten's weekly availability report. They are part of the 14-member contingent of backups who were listed as "out" on the report.

No starters were mentioned.

The Lions and West Virginia Mountaineers kick off at noon from Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown. FOX is televising.

Penn State will break out its long-awaited "new" offense under first-season coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. It figures to feature more pre-snap shifts and movement and more backup quarterback Beau Pribula to help starter Drew Allar.

The Lions will now rely on redshirt freshman Andrew Rappleyea and true freshman Luke Reynolds to back up All-America candidate Tyler Warren.

The other backups who won't play today range from quarterback Jaxon Smolik to defensive ends Zuriah Fisher and Mason Robinson and rookie linebacker Kari Jackson and receiver Peter Gonzalez.

The game will feature two intriguing storylines:

What Jahiem White wants to prove to Penn State

How will Penn State's vaunted defense hold up in the heat (expect a real-feel temperature of 90 degrees at kickoff) against West Virginia's explosively diverse run game?

And how will the Lions' revamped offense and quarterbacks Drew Allar and Beau Pribula fare against a questionable WVU resistance?

Expect plenty of big-play fireworks on both sides early on as the defenses acclimate and figure things out. Whoever adjusts quickest and most effectively should be in the driver's seat after halftime.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football 'availability report': Who won't play vs. West Virginia?