STATE COLLEGE — The candidates for the Penn State starting quarterback job will get a chance to create separation in the competition when the Nittany Lions wrap up spring practice Saturday.

Steven Bench and Tyler Ferguson are the main competitors to take over for last year’s record-setting starter, Matt McGloin, who hopes to get a shot in the NFL.

The snaps have been split evenly between Bench and Ferguson. They were running about even during drills.

The Blue-White intrasquad scrimmage will be the last shot that Bench and Ferguson will have to impress until preseason camp in August.

“Any time you have practices left, there’s always enough time for one guy to separate himself,” O’Brien said last week. “I think they both do some things well and there’s some things that both of them need to improve upon.”

They might need to really electrify the coaching staff to get O’Brien to change his mind about whether to hold off on naming a starter until August, after incoming freshman Christian Hackenberg joins the fray.

For now, it’s Bench and Ferguson with a chance to seize momentum going into the summer.

“I’m not really going to get into their strengths and weaknesses,” tight end Kyle Carter said. “They’re both taking control of the huddle, getting us into the right formations and they’re both improving.”

Whoever gets the job may have an easier learning curve because most of last year’s offense is back. They all have a valuable year of experience in the spiced-up passing game that O’Brien installed after coming over from the New England Patriots in January 2012.

But don’t expect O’Brien to show much diversity in the play-calling. He’ll use a toned-down playbook and focus more on good tempo.

The biggest asset is wideout Allen Robinson, last year’s breakout star who led the Big Ten in receiving yards (1,013) and receiving touchdowns (11).

“Really, the new guy for us is just the quarterback,” Robinson said.