Penn State Football 2019 Position Battle: Quarterback

Who will be Penn State football’s quarterback in 2019?

Entering the new college football season, there will be several storylines to keep an eye on for Penn State football. Graduations, transfers, and decisions to leave school early for the NFL Draft have left some big holes to fill. Several players have an opportunity to step up and earn significant roles in 2019. Quarterback is certainly one position that has a void to fill.

Perhaps no position battle at Penn State will be watched and followed more than that of quarterback. The Nittany Lions were blessed with having three consistent years of Trace McSorley. Now, unfortunately, head coach James Franklin and his staff will need to find a replacement for one of the best all-time quarterbacks in Penn State history.

Fortunately, there are two talented quarterbacks with experience waiting in the wings, ready to take over as leader of the offense.

Tommy Stevens and Sean Clifford will begin their battle in spring practice to become Penn State’s starting quarterback for 2019.

Stevens enters with the obvious upper hand, having been around in the program longer. He has served as McSorley’s backup in each of the previous three seasons and is extremely familiar with the offense.

The coaching staff has realized Stevens’ talent as both a runner and a thrower, so they’ve found ways to get him involved in the offense over the past few seasons. The backup quarterback even had his own position — The Lion — created just for him.

Stevens is both quick and athletic and boasts a strong arm.

A three-star recruit from Indiana according to 247Sports, Stevens was committed to the Hoosiers, but decided to switch his commitment and come to Happy Valley. After being redshirted in 2015, Stevens saw his first action on the field in 2016.

Over the past three seasons, he’s recorded 304 passing yards and four touchdowns. He’s run the ball 76 times for 506 yards and eight touchdowns, while also grabbing 14 receptions for 62 yards and two touchdowns.

Stevens is a versatile athlete that, even if he doesn’t win the starting quarterback job, he’s sure to be on the field in several different situations.

Clifford came to Penn State in the 2017 class and was a four-star recruit from Ohio. He redshirted in 2017 before slotting in as Penn State’s third quarterback in 2018. Clifford didn’t wait long to show off his ability, as he entered the game near the end of the blowout win against Pitt and connected on a 34-yard touchdown pass – his first collegiate attempt, completion, and touchdown, all in one.

Later, in the win versus Kent State, he completed the longest pass in Penn State history, a 95-yard  touchdown bomb to Daniel George.

While his opportunities to throw have been limited, he’s made the most of them. Clifford possesses great arm strength and has no trouble getting the ball downfield. He finished 2018 completing five of seven passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

It appears that Clifford will likely serve as the backup this season, but he has a bright future ahead.

When asked during his National Signing Day press conference about the quarterback battle, Franklin named Stevens the starter heading into spring camp.

The smart money says that Stevens will be lined up as Penn State football’s starting quarterback when the season kicks off in the fall, but Clifford will certainly make things interesting and command some playing time of his own.