Penn State Spring Storyline: The Continued Development of Trace McSorley
Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley had a fantastic season in 2016 and will look to repeat the performance this season.
A big storyline to watch at Penn State this spring will be the continued development of quarterback Trace McSorley. The signal-caller had a huge breakout season in 2016 and Nittany Lion fans hope he’ll be able to repeat it in 2017. McSorley’s job as the starting quarterback is secure, so he’ll be able to use the spring practice session to continue his development in the high-powered Penn State offense.
McSorley enters spring practice with some sky-high expectations. He ended last year as the top quarterback in the Big Ten with 3,614 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also proved to be a threat with his legs, running for 365 yards and seven touchdowns.
Things got off to a slow start last year, as it took a while for McSorley to get comfortable running Joe Moorhead’s offense. He also struggled with mistakes, throwing three interceptions and losing three fumbles in the first four games.
However, once he found he got into the groove, things progressed quickly.
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McSorley finished the season with four touchdown passes in each of the final three games and played a huge role in Penn State winning the Big Ten and earning a trip to the Rose Bowl. In total, he had five games in which he went over 300 yards passing and threw multiple touchdowns in eight games.
Now, with a full season behind him, continued growth will be expected.
McSorley’s first chance to show that he’s ready to build on last season’s success will be at the annual Blue-White game on April 22. Last year, he burst onto the scene with four touchdown passes in the scrimmage. He completed 23 of 27 passes for 281 yards.
Keep an eye on McSorley this spring to see how he progresses. He’s lost top receiver Chris Godwin to the NFL, but there are several other guys who will be able to step up and make big plays in the passing game.