For years, Kirk Herbstreit has been caught in the crossfire of college football fanbases accusing him of bias — especially when it comes to his alma mater, the Ohio State Buckeyes. The latest was in the 2024 Cotton Bowl. But in a surprising twist, the ESPN analyst set aside rivalries and delivered a heartfelt message to OSU’s conference rival – James Franklin’s Penn State’s latest addition – a move that left the new hire, who’s also a Nittany Lions legend, emotional.

Penn State’s rivalry with the Buckeyes is more intense as they took away Ohio State’s DC Jim Knowles on February 4. Now on Tuesday, the Nittany Lions again made waves by hitting a home run hire of former star quarterback Trace McSorley to its coaching staff as an assistant quarterbacks coach. McSorley’s story at Penn State always felt unfinished — not in the sense of unfulfilled potential, but in that rare way where a player’s presence lingers long after he’s gone. The quarterback, who once ignited Beaver Stadium with his relentless energy and clutch performances, is now returning to Happy Valley, this time with a whistle around his neck.

That led to Kirk Herbstreit’s appreciation, who covered McSorley’s electric collegiate career. The ESPN analyst took to X to celebrate the hire. “Congrats Trace—great to see ya back home! You’re gonna be a phenomenal coach. Best of luck!” Moved by the heartwarming and somewhat unexpected gesture, the PSU’s new QB coach replied himself, “Thanks, Kirk! Fired up to be back!!” He was the heartbeat of the Nittany Lions from 2016 to 2018, leading them to a Big Ten title, a Rose Bowl, and back-to-back New Year’s Six bowls.

McSorley’s blend of toughness and playmaking ability made him a nightmare for defenses and a legend in State College. Even as Sean Clifford eventually surpassed his records in total yards and wins, McSorley remains the gold standard for Penn State quarterbacks in the modern era. Now, he gets to pass that legacy down to Drew Allar, the next big thing under center — a potential first-rounder in the 2026 NFL Draft who will now be learning from a guy who’s been in the fire himself. Just think who would know Allar better than a Big Ten Championship game MVP (2016) with the most consecutive games with TD scores (27).

McSorley’s NFL career, however, didn’t match the heights of his college days, although that has never been the measure of his impact. Drafted in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens, he spent time in both Baltimore and Arizona Cardinals, finishing his career with 502 passing yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions.

James Franklin surely has made quite a few big hires recently. Ryan Day’s Knowles at defensive coordinator? That was great. Stan Drayton for running backs coach? Really, really good. And now a legend like Trace McSorley as the assistant quarterbacks coach? Immaculate.

Trace McSorley’s BTS moments as Pat Kraft drops the news in style

The Penn State faithful got a surprise announcement straight from Pat Kraft, the school’s vice president of intercollegiate athletics, during February 22 night’s THON Pep Rally, per Onward State. In true dramatic fashion, Kraft revealed that Trace McSorley making his way back to his alma mater in a coaching role. What a real return-of-the-legend moment for the program!

“Nobody knows it, but I’m dropping it right now,” Kraft said, teasing the crowd before confirming that McSorley will be joining James Franklin’s staff. While the details of McSorley’s role weren’t fully disclosed, one thing is for sure — his return was a big deal. As a former star passer who embodied everything Penn State football stands for, McSorley’s presence on the coaching staff could be a game-changer.

Back in his playing days, James Franklin himself had nothing but praise for McSorley’s leadership and intangibles. “If you’re coming up with a list of characteristics or attributes or things that you were looking for to determine a guy’s career, he’s got most of the boxes checked,” the HC said during McSorley’s final season. Immaculate is the only word for Franklin’s move on McSorley. Immaculate.