Penn State vs. Pitt Position Grades

Sep 10, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley (26) dives over the line of scrimmage into the end-zone for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

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Sep 10, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) scrambles with the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Quarterbacks

Trace McSorley had his second career start under center and first on the road and played fairly well. While it was ultimately his late interception that sealed the Nittany Lions’ fate, there are many positives to take away from his performance.

McSorley went 24 for 35 for 332 yards and threw one touchdown, a 40 yard completion to Saquon Barkley.

Unlike last week against Kent State, the Panthers were much better up front and pressured McSorley more. He was sacked four times and coughed up the football three times, losing two of those fumbles.

A big thing is that despite being down by two and three scores for long stretches of the game, McSorley never gave up. He showed a lot of fire and toughness to hang in there, rally the team and nearly completed the comeback.

Looking at the interception again, I think McSorley missed a receiver underneath and probably missed the safety in coverage. Not a good decision, but overall this is a performance that McSorley can build and learn from.

Next: Running Backs

Grade: B-

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