Penn State Football: McSorley Only Unanimous Selection to Big Ten Preseason List

Penn State senior quarterback Trace McSorley is the sole player to earn unanimous selection to the Big Ten preseason honors list by the conference media.

Big Ten Media Days kicked off on Monday morning in Chicago with members of the conference press selecting their annual preseason honors list of 10 top players — five from the East and five from the West.

Ohio State and Wisconsin led the way with two players each.

It marks the latest preseason honor for McSorley, widely considered a potential Heisman Trophy candidate for 2018. He has so far been named to the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award, given to the nation’s top player, and Davey O’Brien Award for the top quarterback.

McSorley was a second-team All-Big Ten selection by conference media and coaches following each of the past two seasons.

He enters the 2018 campaign already holding a host of school records, including career marks for total offense (8,268), passing touchdowns (59), passing efficiency (152.9) and completion percentage (61.8). He also holds single season records for passing yards (3,614; 2016), completions (284; 2017), passing touchdowns (29; 2016), total offense (4,061; 2017), 300-yard passing games (5; 2016 and 2017), 200-yard passing games (11; 2016 and 2017) and touchdowns responsible for (37; 2017).

In 2017, McSorley joined Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett as the only players in Big Ten history to have 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns in a season. McSorley also is one of seven Big Ten QBs to have consecutive 3,000-yard passing seasons.

Penn State’s 2018 season kicks off against Appalachian State at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 1 in Beaver Stadium.

Big Ten 2018 Preseason Honorees

EAST DIVISION
Rashan Gary, Jr., DL, Michigan
Brian Lewerke, Jr., QB, Michigan State
Nick Bosa, Jr., DE, Ohio State
J.K. Dobbins, So., RB, Ohio State
Trace McSorley, SR., QB, Penn State

WEST DIVISION
Noah Fant, Jr., TE, Iowa
Stanley Morgan Jr., Sr., WR, Nebraska
Paddy Fisher, So., LB, Northwestern
T.J. Edwards, Sr., LB, Wisconsin
Jonathan Taylor, So., RB, Wisconsin