Tommy Stevens is entering transfer portal. What are the five best teams for him, and what’s next for Penn State?
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It was supposed to be an easy transition.
Trace McSorley was finishing up his create career, and Tommy Stevens was going to step right in as the new starting quarterback without too much of a drop off.
The 6-5, 240-pound Stevens saw a little time last year, is a good runner, and has the skills, stature and upside to at least get the NFL scouts interested. However, something didn’t seem to work out.
Stevens had a hand injury that kept him from doing doo much this offseason, and the door was open. Sean Clifford looked good in his limited time last year, too, and he came up with a good spring to push for the starting job.
It didn’t help that Clifford was terrific in the spring game and looked the part of the No. 1 guy.
So Stevens is now exploring his options by entering the NCAA transfer portal. He could still come back to Penn State, but considering his skills, and also considering that head coach James Franklin isn’t committing to anyone as the starter quite yet, this would be the time to leave.
What five schools would be a right fit for a player of Stevens’ talents?
5. Mississippi State Bulldogs
The only reason this would even be a consideration is the tie to Joe Moorhead. The current Mississippi State head coach was previously the offensive coordinator at Penn State, and the skills fit the system.
Moorhead likes big, mobile quarterbacks with big arms – Nick Fitzgerald did just fine last year – and Stevens is just that. He’s not the runner Fitzgerald is/was, but he’s a better passer and could add a bit more to the overall attack.
However, Keytaon Thompson is a good-looking prospect who stepped in at times over the last few years and has been more than fine. Not great, not dominant, but fine, and that’s what he was throughout spring ball.
It’s Thompson’s gig at the moment with a chance to grow into the role, but he’s getting pushed by talented young options Garrett Shrader and Jaylen Mayden, but one of them would have to rise up and rock in fall camp to take over.
The problem for Stevens would be the logjam of talent. He’d step in and be 1A with Thompson on the depth chart, but the job wouldn’t be a lock to be his.
NEXT: Who doesn’t want to throw it 50 times a game?
4. Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders already have a great quarterback situation under new head coach Matt Wells, but there still might be an opening.
Alan Bowman was fantastic in his freshman year, but he got hurt late in the season and couldn’t get it back despite his best efforts. Jett Duffey offers the mobility that Wells likes, and he can throw a little bit, but he’s more of a great No. 2 option.
It also helps that McLane Carter chose to transfer.
Stevens has the mobility needed to add a twist to the Texas Tech mix, but going there would be his chance to put up big numbers under Wells and show off his NFL passing upside.
To get way too weird, former Penn State defensive back Zech McPhearson transferred to Texas Tech and tweeted this out …
And Stevens retweeted it. Oooooooh.
Okay, so that means nothing, but if he could actually get the job, Stevens would be great for the Red Raiders.
NEXT: The square peg for the square hole …
3. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
There are a whole lot of quarterback options under new head man Geoff Collins, and none of them quite fit.
Lucas Johnson appears to be close to playing the part. He’s got the running ability good enough to come to the school in the first place to operate an option attack, and he threw well throughout spring ball. He’s not exactly a square peg in a round hole prospect for what Collins is going to want to do, but there’s room for a good-passing grad transfer to step in and take over the job.
The quarterbacks in the mix are seemingly adapting well, James Graham is a nice player to develop, Tobias Oliver is a veteran who’s working a little bit at defensive back, and the situation is a whole lot better than many might make it out to be. More to the point, Stevens wouldn’t be the obvious starter if he stepped in.
However, the job is still open.
Johnson should be the man to beat, but the chances are there for a big passer to step right in and make the job his. At the very least, its a situation worth looking into for Stevens.
NEXT: A possible missing piece of a very good puzzle …
2. Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota passing game could use another option.
The running backs are strong, the defense looks like it’ll be sneaky-good, and all that’s missing is an upgrade under center to make it all go. There are veterans, and there are options to play around with, but Stevens would instantly be the best quarterback on the roster.
Sophomores Zack Annexstad and Tanner Morgan saw almost equal action last season and throughout spring ball – with Morgan doing more as a runner and cranking up the the downfield passing game a bit more after Annexstad got banged up – and now the battle is on.
Both quarterbacks can play, and both know the system, but here’s a chance for head coach PJ Fleck to have his boat, and row it, too.
Annexstad and Morgan can still be developed and can still be the future of the program – Annexstad can still take a redshirt year – and the team can still take a big step forward with a quarterback like Stevens.
NEXT: Is the new staff ready to go really, really young?
1. North Carolina Tar Heels
If you had a new, young head coach who was going to rebuild the program, you’d want to figure out which one of the young quarterback options would be the one to build around.
Mack Brown is going to turn 68 in August. His job right now is to get North Carolina back up to speed as quickly as possible.
There were veteran options, but Chazz Surratt is now a linebacker and last year’s leading passer – Nathan Elliott – is now an assistant coach at Arkansas State. That leaves Cade Fortin – a redshirt freshman who only played in three games last year, but finished as the second leading passer – and star recruit Sam Howell.
Howell is the guy. A huge get for the program, Brown and the staff snagged him away from Florida State, and for what it’s worth, got the the starting nod in the spring game.
Howell was strong, Fortin struggled, and redshirt freshman Jace Ruder was solid. Is Stevens better than these three?
He’d definitely start ahead of Fortin and Ruder, but Howell is the X factor. He’s the face of the franchise going forward, but is he ready to be the star of the show right now?
Stevens wouldn’t be a sure-thing to be the main man, but this would be his chance to air it out under offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
