A Penn State football quarterback legend and up-and-coming coach is apparently leaving the Nittany Lions.
Trace McSorley, who just began his coaching career a year ago at his alma mater, will be taking a job on the staff of new Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady, according to reports, including 247 Sports.
The record-setting McSorley, 30, was preparing to start his second season as the Lions’ assistant quarterbacks coach − his first under new program leader Matt Campbell − when the team opens spring practice next month.
Brady was a graduate assistant at Penn State in 2015 and 2016 − when McSorley led the Lions to nine straight victories, an unlikely Big Ten Championship and one of the highest-scoring Rose Bowl games.
Campbell talked earlier this month about McSorley’s value to his staff that includes former Penn State stars in defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn and assistant linebackers coach Dan Connor.
“I think Trace is just starting how special his career has got the ability to be,” Campbell said. “You talk about one of the winningest quarterbacks. And in my mind, I kept thinking about him and Rocco (Becht) have very similar traits of the human being and what they’re about and the impact that he could have in a positive way on Rocco.
“There’s been times I’ve got to Trace, like, ‘Man, what have you seen? Like give me some insight on your thoughts on what’s gone well, what hasn’t gone well, how do we move ourselves forward.'”
Becht, Penn State’s new starting quarterback from Iowa State, talked just this week about watching and admiring McSorley growing up.
The ever-popular McSorley set several program records during his three years as a PSU starter. He earned a living for several years as a backup QB in the NFL before returning to Penn State under former head coach James Franklin.
He’s also the second member of Campbell’s new staff to leave for an NFL job this month, joining wide receivers coach Noah Pauley, who took the same position with the Green Bay Packers.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: How Trace McSorley is leaving Penn State football for the NFL, again
