Penn State Football Position Battle: Backup Quarterback

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

Expectations for the 2019 season were that Penn State’s offensive would line up with some combination of Tommy Stevens and Sean Clifford at quarterback. Stevens was the presumed starter after playing the backup role for three seasons, but he has since transferred to Mississippi State. With Clifford now the clear starter, the backup position is up for grabs.

Clifford, who was figuring to start the 2019 season as the backup, used a strong showing during spring practice and an injury to Stevens to cause head coach James Franklin to be unable to name a 2019 starter at the close of spring practice.

With Clifford’s promotion to the starting quarterback gig, there are several options that could figure into the backup role.

Walk-on Michael Shuster has been with the program the longest, but he’s not expected to be in the mix. True freshman walk-on Isaac Rumery enjoyed a great high school career, but likely also will not be have a shot at the backup role in 2019.

That leaves a trio of freshmen to compete for the job.

Redshirt freshman Will Levis joined the program in 2018 as a three-star recruit from Connecticut and the No. 28 pro-style quarterback in the class. He racked up 33 total touchdowns during his final year of high school.

Levis spent last season as an important member of Penn State’s scout team and was named Co-Scout Team Player of the Year. Standing at six-foot three and weighing over 230 pounds, Levis has great size and is a big, strong kid. He’ll be a menacing presence when he lines up in Penn State’s backfield.

As it stands now, Levis appears to be the frontrunner for the backup job.

Michael Johnson Jr. and Ta’Quan Roberson both represent intriguing options, but as true freshmen, they both will need more time to develop.

Johnson Jr. was a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 15 dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class. He racked up 37 touchdowns during his señor year of high school. He’s an athletic player who has the tools to develop into a talented quarterback. He appeared during the Blue-White Game and completed all four of his passes for 36 yards.

Roberson also is a dual-threat quarterback. He too was a four-star recruit and was the No. 8 prospect at his position. Roberson enjoyed a very successful career at DePaul Catholic High School in New Jersey. He racked up nearly five thousand passing yards and over 850 rushing yards, with 66 touchdowns in two years of play.

He saw a few reps in the Blue-White Game and completed three of his nine passes for 19 yards.

Levis is the probable choice to back up Clifford this seasons, but keep an eye on how things go during practice, as someone else could always rise to the forefront.