Penn State quarterback assistant set to depart for NFL gig

The personnel shuffling within the Penn State football program is still settling as the Nittany Lions inch closer to the start of spring practices next month. Blue White Illustrated has learned that Trace McSorley, the former quarterback and current assistant to Jake Waters coaching the position under new head coach Matt Campbell, is leaving for an opportunity with the Buffalo Bills. 

The move reunites McSorley with the Bills’ new head coach, Joe Brady, who served as a graduate assistant with the Nittany Lions for two seasons in 2015 and 2016. Elevated from offensive coordinator to head coach in Buffalo this offseason, Brady is now bringing in McSorley on board as an offensive assistant as he continues to fill out his new staff.

Trace McSorley set to depart Penn State

The news comes just three weeks after Campbell was asked about McSorley’s retention on the staff following his first season back in the program. Initially bridging the transition from James Franklin to Terry Smith and eventually Campbell, McSorley was praised for the insight he had provided already while helping to move the program forward.  

“I think Trace is just starting how special his career has got the ability to be,” said Campbell. “You talk about one of the winningest quarterbacks, and in my mind I kept thinking about him and Rocco have very similar traits of, like, 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.’ I think those have been huge wins for us.”

Waters echoed the sentiment when meeting with reporters earlier this month.

“It’s been awesome. I was pumped up when Trace stayed and was with us. Just from my first day here, I was so excited to meet him from watching him. I had a ton of respect for him, just from being a football fan and how he played, how we did it, and how we went about it, everything. And then being able to meet him now and get to know him, and working together with him with the quarterbacks, it’s been incredible,” said Waters. “For a guy that’s been here a long time, won a lot of games here and at the highest level, and did it the right way. Man, it’s unbelievable for our guys. For me to learn from him, what does this place mean to you? The experiences that you had, I can all draw from that and draw from him. And then our quarterbacks, it will be invaluable for them. What it means to play quarterback here at Penn State.”

Lions247’s Daniel Gallen was first to report the news.

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