Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/730644
race McSorley isn't oblivious to the things that are said about him. He's too short. He's got a weak arm. This guy doesn't have what it takes to be a college quarterback. Maybe he's better suited to another posi- tion. He's heard those things since he became the starting quarterback at Briar Woods High School in Virginia during his fresh- man season in 2010. He was still hearing them when he was a senior, even though he had led his team to three state championship games in his first three years. The Falcons won those games in 2010, '11 and '12, and McSorley earned multiple player-of-the-year awards along the way. His senior season, McSorley received first-team Class 5A All-State honors, pass- ing for 3,252 yards and 36 touchdowns, while gaining 892 additional yards and scoring 13 TDs on the ground. Again, he guided the Falcons to the state champi- onship game, although this time the result was a loss. Still, he was considered a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and other recruiting websites. In fact, Rivals didn't even list Mc- Sorley as a quarterback in its rankings. He was in- stead placed in the ambiguous "athlete" category, where he was ranked 50th in the country and only 24th in his own state among Class of 2014 pros- pects. M c S o r l e y k n o w s it all, and in this, his redshirt sophomore season at Penn State, he understands where it's gotten him. The starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions, he doesn't ignore the chatter. Instead, he uses it. "It's something that's been said, and gets said, and it's something now I want to prove you wrong about," McSorley said. "I've kind of had that chip on my shoulder all my life." Through his first few games as Penn State's starting quarterback, McSorley has started the process of converting the doubters into believers. His early statistics haven't earned any official accolades or watch list nods, but in completing more than 60 percent of his passes, tossing four touchdowns and racking up 276 yards per game with just two interceptions through three games, his 151.95 quarterback rating had him squarely in the middle of college football's signal-callers. In his own mind, the measurable qualities – arm strength, speed, height – aren't what differentiate him from his peers. "I feel like I'm confident. I feel like I have a strong arm, contrary to what some other people may think. That's what I feel like," McSorley said, pausing for dramatic effect. "I do feel like I have a strong arm and I feel like my athletic ability is something that I use to my [advantage], whether it's in the run game, in the read-option and the stuff that we run, or dropping back, when things aren't open, being able to scramble around and find open lanes, let receivers work a lit- tle bit differently trying to get open. Or, if nothing is open at that point, tucking it down and getting yards that way. That's something I feel is a strength. "The defense can cover up all the re- ceivers perfectly and I can still maybe squirt through for a first down on third down. I know from talking to some of the guys on our defense through spring ball, that's something they realize is extremely frustrating for a defense." McSorley began his career as a starter against Kent State and Pitt, opponents with solid defenses | TRACE AGAINST THE CLOCK With the Big Ten season under way, McSorley is look- ing to master the finer points of Joe Moorhead's new offense. Against Pitt, he led the Lions to 25 sec- ond-half points. Photo by Steve Manuel T