Penn State Football: Quarterback Report Post Indiana 2018

Trace McSorley came up big for Penn State football yet again. On a day where the defense bled yards and points, he countered with 327 total yards and 2 TDs.

I guess Penn State football fans can’t get an easy blowout win this season. With each game, the collective blood pressure of the program’s followers rises. But in the end, the Nittany Lions prevailed in a 33-28 shootout in Bloomington. Senior quarterback Trace McSorley took matters into his own hands, and legs, and carried the Nittany Lions to victory.

First off, let’s take a look at the numbers in the win. His stat line through the air was a modest, 19-of-36 for 220 yards and an interception. As the numbers have been all season, they don’t reflect his play. The interception only occurred, because Mac Hippenhammer dropped an on-target pass. In the same breath, Penn State receivers continue to struggle with catching open balls.

Regardless, McSorley bailed his receivers out with a brilliant day on the ground. An aspect of his game that’s reached its peak in his senior year. He rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Both scores came after Indiana took a 21-20 lead late in the third quarter.

He pump faked a pass to Pat Freiermuth and walked in for one score. He then juked a linebacker off the zone read and sprinted in for what turned out to be the game-sealing touchdown, up 33-21.

I’m giving McSorley an A- for the game. He has fought through loads of struggles this year and even when his team was down on the road two separate times, he brought them back. This was a must-win game, and he gutted it out to end the two-game skid.

There are few players that can pick up a team and carry them out even with minimal help, but he’s one for sure. More milestones were passed this weekend for him as well. His 107 rushing yards helped him set a career-high in rushing yards just seven games. He also became the first player in school history to record 10,000-plus total offensive yards. He’s just four total touchdowns away from reach 100.

Moving on to the other QB in this game, Tommy Stevens completed his only pass of the contest, a 23-yard TD to Freiermuth to tie the game in the second quarter. He’s proven his worth in the LION position and continues to cause chaos anytime he enters a game. It’s an A+ for him, coming in cold and tossing a big-time completion.

Before I finish up for this week’s edition of the QB report, here’s McSorley’s stats from the season and his career so far. Stevens’ versatile, career stat line is listed below as well.

McSorley SEASON STATS: 5-2, 2018 record; 112-of-207, 1,462 yards, 11 touchdowns, three interceptions; 554 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, 5.7 yards per carry; 2,016 total yards, 19 total touchdowns

McSorley CAREER STATS: 27-7 career record; 8,831 passing yards; 60.3 completion percentage; 70 touchdowns, 21 interceptions; 1,453 rushing yards, 26 rushing touchdowns; 10,284 total yards, 96 total touchdowns

Stevens CAREER STATS: 17-of-31 for 217 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions; 376 rushing yards, six touchdowns, 7.4 yards per carry; 14 catches, 62 yards, two touchdowns