Penn State QB Steven Bench to transfer
Penn State sophomore quarterback Steven Bench will transfer after competing for the vacant starting job this spring
Bench has been granted his release and will depart Penn State after completing the spring semester, which ends May 3.
"I mean, it's been a hard decision," Bench said Wednesday. "I was sold on Penn State since the day I got an offer, since the day they called, really. I just wish it would've worked out. I still love this place and I wish it didn't come to this, but I have to make the best choice for me. And I think the best thing for me to be successful is to not play at Penn State and to play elsewhere."
Any idea where his future location is yet?
Bench was a generic three star recruit who was going to Rice, he got a random PSU offer and committed. He will transfer to a smaller D-1 school or an FCS program.
I feel like we are going to have a new thread everytime a QB is transferring from any school regardless of Michigan's interest
Well, it's kind of relevant, since he was competing for the QB position of a team we're playing next year, and every year hereafter. Moreover, it means Hackenberg (aka PSU's Shane Morrison) is almost guaranteed not to get a redshirt now.
Who is our Shane Morrison?
Mike Jones
Trey Woolfork.
I was driving in a NBCUniversal parking structure the other day and went to pull into a vacant spot only to see this
Dennis Northfleet
April 24th, 2013 at 10:26 PM ^
let's not forget his spring game twin David Norfleet
I think you mean Dennis Northfeet.
April 25th, 2013 at 12:08 AM ^
He is the Lizard King
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Can't he play right off the bat at whatever school he goes to due to the NCAA giving PSU transfers the opp?
Yes.
Per the original ruling last summer regarding the waiver of transfer rules in this case (HERE), as long as it is done before 2013 preseason practice, any player is immediately eligible even if they are prospective (they could be released from their LOI, if I read this correctly). Current players who enroll at another school before the fall term of 2013 would be immediately eligible if they are practicing with the new team before then and are academically eligible.
Which MAC school needs a QB the worst?
I think we'll get a graduate transfer if we get one at all. We only need a QB for one year and it's quite hard to get Michigan to accept all your undergrad credits. Probably easier to get a guy into a graduate program.
This guy wouldn't want to come to Michigan anyway. He's leaving Penn State because he's not the starter, and that job was totally up in the air. He won't come to M where we have a returning starter at QB.
You think a player making a little bit of money scares Auburn?
Auburn.
~Herm
Maybe he just wants to go to school there.
...oh nevermind.
Brutal for their already thin depth chart.
They've not got a juco transfer and a true freshman as scholarship QBs, and that's it. Our depth is terrible but at least we have a known quantity at starter.
Pointless thread. Move on.
Think about it, with a last name of Bench, that is sort of a fatalistic prophecy isn't it?
I will bet a buck that Cleary is no. 2 like it or not.
Donate it to your favorite charity
I thought it was a nickname. Like Johnny Football was good at football.
And Steve Bench rode the...oh nevermind.
Might that herald issues with depth?
That's got to be rough. Sounded like he was so sure he wanted to be there but at least this sounds (from that little blurb) like a peaceful split.
And for him to ride out ALL the publicity associated with the last year or so and then leave now, after it has calmed down and it seems like most people/media have moved on.. ouch. GL to him.
April 24th, 2013 at 10:01 PM ^
They're going to be desperately short on scholarships, having a bench guy leave might enable them to actually get a contributor at another position
April 24th, 2013 at 10:21 PM ^
Except that he was their only scholarship qb with any experience in the system. Their other qbs are a juco transfer (who was enrolled for spring ball) and an incoming freshman. This is essentially the equivalent of Bellomy's injury without Gardner on the roster.
April 25th, 2013 at 12:22 AM ^
April 25th, 2013 at 10:33 AM ^
The current numbers: Counting Bench, PSU has 76 scholarship players either signed or committed (this includes 6 verbals for February 2014).
13 players are set to graduate after this season.
PSU needs to get to 65 for the 2014 season --- if Bench had not left and assuming no other attrition, that limits the February 2014 class to 8 signees. With Bench gone, that's now 9. Still well below the annual limit of 15.
April 24th, 2013 at 10:33 PM ^