Penn State Football 2018 Position Preview: Quarterback

Penn State football enters the 2018 season with one of the best quarterback combinations in the nation. 

Quarterback is a position that can set a team up for success during the season. Fortunately for Penn State football, the Nittany Lions are blessed with not one but two good quarterbacks. The duo of starter Trace McSorley and backup Tommy Stevens gives the Nittany Lions arguably the best-looking quarterback depth chart in the country.

McSorley has been at the helm of the offense over the last two seasons and is primed for a big performance in his senior season. With the absence of star running back Saquon Barkley, it will be up to McSorley to be the leader on offense.

The fifth-year senior has put up monster numbers over his career at Penn State, throwing for 7,3,69 yards with 59 touchdowns. He has also been a dangerous runner, rushing for 899 yards and 18 touchdowns.

McSorley has already broken several career and single-season school records at Penn State. He’s the only Nittany Lion to throw 50 or more touchdown passes and he set a new high mark with 77 touchdowns responsible for. He’s also the only Penn State quarterback in history to record multiple 3,000-yard seasons.

Barring injury, McSorley has the chance to put up some of the best numbers among all quarterbacks in FBS this year while leading the Nittany Lions on another successful campaign.

Although Penn State will likely have little need for its backup quarterback, as Stevens has only attempted 30 passes in his Penn State career. He’s thrown for just 198 yards and three touchdowns.

However,  Stevens is a unique player.

Aside from just handling mop-up duty as a quarterback, he has actually been given some significant opportunities as both a receiver and a runner. In last season’s Fiesta Bowl, Stevens had the special position of Lion created just for him, meaning that he could serve in several different roles.

Stevens has racked up 388 rushing yards and six touchdowns to go along with 60 receiving yards and two scores over his career and should add to those numbers in 2018. Look for new offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne to get creative in his use of Stevens.

Behind McSorley and Stevens on the depth chart, the No. 3 spot will be a battle between redshirt freshman Sean Clifford and true freshman Will Levis. Both players have the potential to have bright futures with the Nittany Lions.

Redshirt junior Jake Zembiec also would have been in the mix to be the No. 3 quarterback this year, but was recently forced to retire from football due to an injury.

Penn State enters the 2018 season with some question marks at certain positions, but fortunately, quarterback isn’t one of them.