Ex-Penn State QB Tommy Stevens transferring to Mississippi State
Former Penn State quarterback Tommy Stevens decided where he will spend his final year of college football.
Stevens will join the Mississippi State, the fifth-year senior announced on his verified Twitter account Friday. The Mississippi State athletic department confirmed the news.
Hail State! ? pic.twitter.com/5sftwixC57
— Tommy Stevens (@TMS_II) May 17, 2019
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound dual-threat QB from Indiana spent the past three seasons as the top backup to Trace McSorley. But an injury-riddled offseason (Stevens missed the Blue-White game in the spring) left his status with the Nittany Lions up in the air, and he entered the transfer portal soon after spring practice ended.
Stevens will reunite with former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead at Mississippi State. Moorhead, a Central Catholic graduate, is entering his second season as Bulldogs coach after spending 2016-17 calling plays for the Nittany Lions.
In that time, Stevens shined as a chess piece by running, catching passes or throwing out of the backfield for the Nittany Lions. But he always was stuck behind McSorley.
Welcome to the Family, @TMS_II!#HailState?
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) May 17, 2019
“Tommy is very talented and will be an excellent addition to our roster,” Moorhead said. “He will have the opportunity to compete at quarterback this season. With nearly 100 days until kickoff, we are excited about our summer preparations as we continue to build a program that will make Mississippi State fans proud.”
In a signed letter posted on Twitter, Stevens said he was “forever thankful” to Penn State and praised Nittany Lions teammates and coaches.
“I will forever be a Nittany Lion,” Stevens wrote.
But Stevens said he took four official visits before making a decision.
“I am very blessed to have the opportunity to go to a place like MSU, where I can create more relationships and more experiences,” he wrote. “A place that will give me the opportunity to compete at the highest level and also a place where I can expand my education even further.”
One last time... pic.twitter.com/GuFFEAbo2P
— Onward State (@OnwardState) May 17, 2019
Stevens graduated from Penn State in December with a degree in telecommunications.
Last season, Mississippi State went 8-5, reaching as high as No. 14 in the AP poll. The Bulldogs share a division in the SEC with powerhouses Alabama, Auburn and LSU.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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