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What can Trace McSorley bring to the Penn State quarterback room in 2025?

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•04/03/25•

GregPickel

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Penn State assistant quarterbacks coach Trace McSorley. (Pickel/BWI)

Penn State beefed up its support staff this offseason. Among the newcomers are a former head coach in Albany’s Greg Gattuso, a Lions lettermen who will assist the defensive line. Jim Knowles brought some new faces with him when he took over the defensive coordinator role. And then, there is the addition of program legends Trace McSorley. After a multi-year NFL career that last included a stop on an active roster in 2022 and time on the Washington Commanders practice squad in 2024, the Virginia native hung up his cleats. He’s not leaving the sport for good though, but rather trading them in for a whistle.

At the first two Penn State spring practices open to reporters, McSorley has done everything from working the bags on ball security drills to helping the Lions passers through drills. He is one of many former players now on Franklin’s staff. And, this reunion was long in the making.

“I mean, you guys know how I feel about Trace and his whole family,” Franklin said. Trace is a special guy to me. He’s a special guy to Penn State, our history and our tradition. So he chased his dream as long as he thought it made sense in NFL and and was able to play at a level that very few people get to play at for a number of years.

“We’ve been talking of last couple years that he was going to probably get into coaching, and whether that was at the NFL level or with us, we had an opportunity open up and presented it to him and had some good discussions on what it would look like. And he’s been great.”

McSorley can provide a unique perspective to the Penn State quarterback room

McSorley will work under fellow analyst Danny O’Brien, who is the Penn State quarterbacks coach. Both played for Franklin, of course. O’Brien did so at Maryland. So both can offer that perspective. But, McSorley can offer a different take seeing that he’s sat in the same shoes and worn the same jersey that Drew Allar and the Lions’ other quarterbacks have.

“I think that helps with the learning curve, because they already know the culture,” Franklin said. “They already know the expectations. I also think it helps our quarterback group, having somebody that played quarterback at Penn State, because until you’ve actually sat in that chair, it’s different.

“You guys heard me say it before the head coach and the quarterback, it’s different. So having trace to be able to mentor that room from his experiences, I think is valuable.”

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