Can we say it’s unofficially officially official that Penn State is losing a player who was projected by many to be its starter under center this year?
Wednesday, it was reported that Tommy Stevens had decided to place his name into the NCAA transfer database, the first move in a potential departure from Happy Valley. That said, Stevens could also pull his name from the portal and return to the Nittany Lions.
A day after that story first developed, Stevens’ father seemingly slammed the door on any such return, telling the Centre Daily Times that his son is “certainly leaving” Penn State and will finish his collegiate playing career at an undetermined elsewhere.
“He came to Penn State to be the starting guy. For it to end up like this, it tore Tommy apart,” Tom Stevens told the Daily Times. “He loves Penn State. ... He really went back and forth with this. It’s been really, really, really difficult. But he understands that it’s a business at the end of the day.”
Stevens’ decision to sever ties with the football program comes a few days after head coach James Franklin declined to name a starting quarterback as his team put the finishing touches on practices with this past weekend’s spring game.
"[U]nfortunately, he has to make a selfish decision at this point and do what’s best for him,” the dad added. “What we felt like was best for him was leaving Penn State and exploring other options.”
In March of last year, Stevens acknowledged that he had explored transfer options before opting to remain at Penn State. Stevens had spent the past two seasons as the primary backup to Trace McSorely, whose eligibility expired following the 2018 season.
With Stevens now out of the picture, Sean Clifford is now the front-runner for the starting job, although the redshirt sophomore will still have to hold off Will Levis when summer camp kicks off in early August.
