One of Penn State’s most successful quarterbacks in program history appears to be coming back to Happy Valley. Appearing as an emcee for Penn State’s annual THON event in the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday, Trace McSorley may be sticking around in a new role on the athletics staff.
Athletics director Pat Kraft teased such a position for the former Penn State quarterback without confirming any specific titles or roles. But it has Penn State fans happy to see McSorley could be back with the football program.
“Nobody knows it, but I’m dropping it right now,” Kraft said while suggesting McSorley may be joining the athletics staff, according to Onward State.
McSorley was a three-year starter for Penn State and was a key player in some of the best years coached by James Franklin. McSorley helped lead Penn State to its only Big Ten championship in the Big Ten championship game era in 2016 and led the Nittany Lions to a victory in the Fiesta Bowl in 2017. McSorley ended his college football career as Penn State’s all-time leading passer with 9,899 career passing yards, a mark that has since been eclipsed by Sean Clifford. McSorley also owns the second-most passing touchdowns in school history with 77 (again only eclipsed by Clifford; Drew Allar is closing in on McSorley for second on the all-time list in 2025 with 53 career touchdown passes).
If McSorley is joining the football staff in some capacity, he will be reunited with James Franklin, who originally recruited him to Vanderbilt. McSorley flipped from Vanderbilt to Penn State after Franklin was hired away from the Commodores to be the head coach of the Nittany Lions.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Former Penn State QB Trace McSorley may be joining the staff
