Former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley discussed Lions’ current situation
Trace McSorley is out of the picture at Penn State. So who does he see taking over the reins now that his successor is also out of the picture?
Penn State Nittany Lions’ head coach James Franklin is not one to give handouts. Even if he sees a player, who he expects to start for the upcoming season, he doesn’t want to make them feel like they don’t have to do anything to earn it. In college, a player must perform at a high level at all times or else somebody behind them will quickly take their spot.
This specifically pertains to the quarterback position. As being under center is arguably the most critical position in the game, teams don’t have any time to waste if the player under center is doing a lousy job. Therefore, a head coach has to keep them motivated to always want to do better. That’s precisely what Coach Franklin is doing when he refuses to name a starting quarterback before the 2019 season — but not every player agrees with that method.
Not too long ago, the Penn State organization was shocked to find out that their backup quarterback Tommy Stevens was headed down south to transfer to Mississippi State. As Stevens was expected to take over the Lions’ offense for the 2019 season with Trace McSorley out of the picture, Stevens decided he didn’t want to battle it out this summer without a verbal guarantee from Coach Franklin regarding the QB1 position. As Franklin stuck to his guns on his policy of leaving the door open for a guy who might earn it more, Stevens decided to pack up and leave.
Stevens’ former predecessor addresses the situation
Trace McSorley will be missed in Happy Valley. As the former starting quarterback is working on finding a pro identity in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens, his old squad is looking for his replacement. Initially, Stevens was viewed as Trace’s successor. Now that he’s gone though, Penn State is looking forward to trying out some of their young options in Sean Clifford and Will Levis.
Like many, McSorley was clueless as to why Stevens decided to transfer. Being that he’s spent plenty of time working alongside Stevens, McSorley did mention that he immediately called his former teammate when he heard the news. “I still wasn’t exactly sure after talking with him, but obviously he feels like this is the best situation for him,” McSorley said regarding Stevens’ decision.
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Although McSorley is confused, he did mention that he’s excited to see what Stevens is able to accomplish with the Bulldogs. However, the former Nittany Lions’ quarterback is remaining focused on what’s going on with his former team. Despite being in the unknown about what’s going to happen with the offense in 2019, McSorley feels confident in whoever wins the open QB battle. Many predict that Clifford will get the nod, but Levis shouldn’t be ruled out just yet.