Penn State QBs McSorley, Stevens battling this spring

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - As spring practice comes to an end, culminating in Saturday's Blue-White game, Penn State coach James Franklin isn't likely to make a decision on starting quarterback anytime soon.

With Christian Hackenberg gone for the NFL, redshirt sophomore Trace McSorley and redshirt freshman Tommy Stevens are competing for the starting role in new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead's system.

"We want to give Tommy every opportunity to fight for the job," Franklin said after practice Wednesday. "We'll go back and evaluate everything after spring ball is over, but we'll most likely take that competition into the summer."

Neither McSorley nor Stevens has started a game at Penn State. However, McSorley got an early audition for the top job during the Nittany Lions' matchup with Georgia in the TaxSlayer Bowl in January.

After Hackenberg left the game with a shoulder injury, McSorley threw two touchdown passes that cut Penn State's deficit.

McSorley said Wednesday that the bowl game helped him from a confidence standpoint. But was he satisfied with his performance? Not quite.

"Would've been great if we won the game," he said of Penn State's 24-17 loss.

McSorley spent the offseason working on improving his deep ball. Two times a week, he and receivers went to Holuba Hall, Penn State's indoor practice facility, and practiced routes. He said the strength staff also helped the quarterbacks improve shoulder strength and stability, outside of the full-team weight-lifting sessions.

Franklin said McSorley's experience gives him an edge, but not one that is significant enough to name the starter just yet.

"To me, you want to keep the competition going as long as you can, unless the gap is significant. Right now, Tommy's got a really good feel for finding open receivers and throwing for a high percentage," Franklin said. "But he may be reading the wrong side of the field. If you watch a tape and you don't know what the quarterback's progression is supposed to be, he's productive and he's a playmaker.

"Trace is the same way," Franklin added. "He's just a little bit more consistent with his responsibilities and his execution right now."

McSorley's biggest negative, Franklin said, is height. He is listed as 6-foot, 199 pounds. Stevens is 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds.

McSorley and Stevens said they haven't let the competition affect their friendship. If anything, Stevens said, it has helped him improve.

"He's been willing to help me with coverages, learning coverages and just learning defenses in general," Stevens said. "We push each other every day and ultimately it's making the team better."