Penn State Football: Grades vs Kentucky
By Dylan Burd
Quarterbacks
Trace McSorley’s final performance as a Penn State Nittany Lion was nothing short of exceptional, despite the final result. To play in nearly the entire second half with an injured foot that may or may not have been broken, and lead the offense to 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter was simply incredible. Penn State was in a position to win this football game solely because of him.
McSorley’s final game started off slow, as he only completed seven of his 17 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown in the first half. This is to go along with 61 rushing yards, not including sack yards taken.
Following the foot injury which happened sometime in the second quarter, McSorley completed 10 of his 16 passes for 151 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the second half. He also had 43 rushing yards not including sack yards taken and a rushing touchdown. In addition, McSorley deserves full credit for the 17 unanswered points that the offense was responsible for.
Backup quarterback and redshirt freshman Sean Clifford filled in for Trace McSorley while he was injured, but didn’t complete a pass.
It’s safe to say that Trace McSorley is an all-time great at Penn State, and it’s been an honor to watch him be the starting quarterback for the last three years. Not only did he break several school records, but he’s played as hard as any player I’ve ever seen.
He’s the definition of a guy you want on your team, and a guy who will put it all on the line for his team, even if he has a broken foot. He’s a leader, and was the heart and soul of this football team.
Penn State fans will gain even more appreciation for Trace McSorley when he’s not on the field to start next season. It’s going to be a drastic adjustment for the team, and that’s not a shot at Tommy Stevens at all. Trace McSorley was just that valuable to this football team.