McSorley confident offense can roll without Barkley, Gesicki

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.—Trace McSorley holds numerous Penn State passing records and will have more chances to add to his legacy with co-stars Saquon Barkley and Mike Gesicki gone.

But finding go-to teammates that can replace Barkley's and Gesicki's production—nearly 40 percent of the offense since 2015— didn't top McSorley's priority list during spring practice. Instead, he spent the last month reminding his teammates on the offensive side of the ball that they still have plenty to prove.

"Everyone's saying we're not going to be as good because we're losing guys," McSorley said after the team's spring game on Saturday. "I think that is the challenge, being able to put that chip back on our shoulders as an offense."

McSorley got a head start carrying a bigger load in his first showing without Barkley and Gesicki. He played four series and completed 10 of 14 passes for 107 yards with a touchdown. McSorley saw extended time with backup Tommy Stevens out for precautionary reasons following a leg injury earlier this spring.

McSorley, who's been one of the nation's steadiest players in the clutch as the Nittany Lions have won 20 of their last 23 games, said he doesn't feel obligated to do more without Barkley's freakish athleticism and Gesicki's explosiveness downfield.

Although the star running back and big tight end could both likely be early picks in the NFL draft, McSorley said he's seen plenty of evidence this spring that the offense can keep burning defenses without them.