- One of the biggest reasons for Penn State's emergence in 2016 was the performance of QB Trace McSorley.
- In his first full year as the Nittany Lions' starter, McSorley posted an overall grade of 82.2 which ranks No. 2 among returning Big 10 quarterbacks.
- No Big 10 quarterback threw it deep (20 or more yards downfield) than McSorley in 2016. On 96 attempts, he led the conference with an adjusted completion percentage of 48.4 percent, and his 1,647 yards on deep passes were No. 3 among all returning quarterbacks.
- Another attribute McSorley showed was an ability to make plays when under pressure. His 1,240 yards and 11 touchdowns were both tops among returning Big 10 quarterbacks. McSorley's passer rating under pressure of 101.7 is No. 3 among all quarterbacks returning in 2017.

