Penn State Football Early Position Preview 2017: Quarterback

Penn State returns one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten Conference for the 2017 season.

Heading into the 2016 season Penn State had a bit of a question mark at the quarterback position. With the departure of Christian Hackenberg to the NFL, no other quarterback on the roster had starting experience at the collegiate level. Fortunately for head coach James Franklin and his staff, the quarterback question doesn’t exist this season.

This year’s depth chart should be the same as last years. Trace McSorley will be the clear starter, with Tommy Stevens as the backup. Jake Zembiec, who kept his red shirt last season, should be listed as the third-string quarterback.

McSorley was named the starter before last season began and quickly developed into a very dangerous weapon. He enters this season as one of the top returning players in the Big Ten Conference. With a year of experience under his belt, and a talented and dangerous offense around him, McSorley is poised for another big season.

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Last year McSorley finished first in the Big Ten with 3,614 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. His 156.9 rating was also tops in the conference. Penn State was one of the best teams in the nation when it came to big plays. The arm of McSorley played a big role in that.

Barring injury, McSorley won’t be off the field much, except for special plays and garbage time. When he does take a break, it’ll be Stevens who replaces him.

Stevens, a dual-threat quarterback, saw very limited action in 2016 but made the most of his opportunities, mainly as a runner. He finished the year with 21 carries for 198 yards and two scores. He showed toughness and was very hard for defenders to bring down. Stevens threw the ball just three times, completing two passes for a total of 36 yards.

Behind Stevens will likely be Zembiec. He didn’t gain any game experience last year, but has had the chance to practice. He’ll only be called upon if an emergency situation come up. Zembiec, who has some upside, was named the New York Gatorade Player of the Year during his senior year of high school.

The Nittany Lions signed Sean Clifford as part of the 2017 recruiting class. The Ohio native is one of the top quarterbacks coming out of high school. Clifford will likely be redshirted to start his career in Happy Valley.

With the current depth chart the way that it is Penn State is set at the quarterback position. As long as there are no major injuries the Nittany Lions should once again have one of the top offenses in not just the Big Ten, but the entire nation. The quarterback position, namely McSorley, will play a big role in that success.

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