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In their words: Quarterbacks

Many of Penn State’s 15 Pro Day participants, doing their best for the 30 NFL scouts in attendance at Holuba Hall Tuesday afternoon, followed up their performances with media interviews.

And for as much as the process of preparing for futures as professionals took center stage, inevitably, the former Nittany Lions were asked to assess the program that will remain in their absences. No longer on the team, per se, that didn’t preclude forthcoming evaluations of the group currently working its way through spring practices.

With that in mind, let’s take a swing through Penn State’s position groups through the viewpoint of the program’s most recent alumnae, beginning today at quarterback.

Sean Clifford and Donovan Johnson chat during preseason practice last August.
Sean Clifford and Donovan Johnson chat during preseason practice last August.

Quarterback

Who better to evaluate the Nittany Lion quarterbacks than the owner of the program’s passing records?

Ready to embark on his NFL career, as a quarterback, McSorley has still had the opportunity to check out some of the Nittany Lion practices this spring. And he has come away impressed with the likes of Tommy Stevens, Sean Clifford and Will Levis at this early stage in the fight to become his successor.

“They all came out and looked really good. Cliff and Will were slinging the ball around and showing confidence being another year in and another year older. Will has been able to grow from last year to this year. You can see him being more confident. It’s been awesome,” said McSorley. “And Tommy’s taken leadership of that entire group. He’s spearheading everything.

“They’ll have a really good competition. The coaches will figure out what will happen. I’m excited to see what they do. I’ve been in contact with those guys since I’ve been back. We’ve watched film together. Will has reached out to me just wanting to pick my brain with some things. He’s always trying to learn and gain new information.”

Among McSorley’s targets last season, DeAndre Thompkins was also asked to handicap the race for the starting job at Penn State next season.

Initially balking at the ask, calling it a “James Franklin question,” Thompkins did offer up his assessment of quarterback room as a whole.

“All the quarterbacks can throw. They’re all competitors. They all compete. They all demand the best out of each other,” said Thompkins. “So whoever starts, I wouldn’t be surprised. They did earn it and they worked hard to get there. Anybody can take it. They’re all dogs. They all fight.

“I love Tommy and that’s my man, but he has more to prove just like anybody else. Nothing is guaranteed, so you just gotta work for it.”

Echoing the sentiment, offensive lineman Connor McGovern credited McSorley for setting the tone within the quarterback room that has, is, and will continue to pay dividends for the Nittany Lions moving forward.

“I think it’s going to be a great battle. We’ll see in camp who pulls it out,” said McGovern. “Tommy brings another versatile aspect to it. Very big, but he can run and also throw. Sean has a great arm. They’re both great leaders, so it’s going to be a great battle going into this year.

“I think just being in that room with Trace has rubbed off on both of them. They’re both going to take that next step with being more of a leader.”

Working behind the primary competitors for the job, January enrollees Michael Johnson Jr. and Ta’Quan Roberson also caught McSorley’s eye.

Offering his initial impression of the pair, McSorley also opened a window into the role that Stevens has played while participating in “limited” action this spring.

“I saw them for a little bit. They’re athletic. They can make some throws. They’re definitely young,” said McSorley. “When you first get to this level, you really don’t know what’s going on the first time out there. It was cool to see them.

“They’re learning from Tommy. I walked by a room and Tommy was sitting with Michael. An hour later he was with Taquan. An hour later he was with Isaac (Rumery). That’s the role Tommy’s assuming. He’s doing a great job leading all of those guys and getting them on the same page.”

Regardless of the quarterback that eventually emerges, McSorley offered his own advice as the competitors progress through what is likely to be a months-long process.

Having served as a backup for his first two years on Penn State’s campus before beating out Stevens for the starting job in the 2016 preseason, McSorley reflected on what propelled him through it all.

“Just go out and play. You can’t control what’s going to happen,” said McSorley. “I remember when I was going through the competition aspect, when I started pressing and started worrying about it is when I started playing worse.

“My advice to them is go out and cut it loose. Go through your reads. You can’t win the job on one throw and you can’t lose it on one throw. You have to put a whole body of work together day in day out and be the same guy every day.”

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