STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State named Penn State graduate transfer Tommy Stevens its starting quarterback.
Stevens had been competing with junior Keytaon Thompson for the right to start the Aug. 31 season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette at New Orleans.
Mississippi State coach Joe Moorhead has plenty of familiarity with Stevens from their history at Penn State. Moorhead was Penn State’s offensive coordinator from 2016-17, while Stevens was a reserve quarterback for the Nittany Lions from 2016-18.
The 6-foot-5 Stevens went 24 of 41 for 304 yards with four touchdown passes and one interception in 23 games at Penn State. Stevens also rushed for 506 yards and eight touchdowns, and he caught 14 passes for 62 yards and two scores.
Stevens is replacing departed three-year starter Nick Fitzgerald, whose 3,607 career yards rushing were the most ever by a SEC quarterback.
