REPORT: Christian Hackenberg to Start at QB for Penn State on Saturday
By Jack Crosby
January 4, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Team Highlight quarterback Christian Hackenberg (1) drops out of the pocket during the second half at the Under Armour All-America high school Game at Tropicana Field. Team Highlight defeated the Team Nitro 16-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Although many of the quarterback battles that have lasted throughout the fall camps have been resolved with one defined starter, the one in Happy Valley between Christian Hackenberg and Tyler Ferguson has not. With one day left until the Penn State Nittany Lions take the field in Metlife Stadium to take on the Syracuse Orange, head coach Bill O’Brien has been tight-lipped as to whom his starting man will be.
But, while O’Brien has yet to name one definitive man for tomorrow’s game, we may have found a bit of insight into the answer that he’s been holding back.
According to Josh Moyer of ESPN, true freshman Christian Hackenberg will indeed be given the nod over JUCO transfer Tyler Ferguson come game time.
It really shouldn’t come as a shock that this is the word starting to leak, especially seeing as Hackenberg is a former no. 1 recruit as a pro-style QB. This young man is expected to create big things under the tutelage of O’Brien and I for one am anxious to see how this begins to play out.
However, don’t weep for Ferguson just yet as O’Brien has also stated that both quarterbacks will see playing time against Syracuse. It’s just when Penn State takes the field on offense for the first time in 2013, Christian Hackenberg will reportedly be the man under center.
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Jack is a Staff Writer for Saturday Blitz. Follow Jack on Twitter @JackJ14CFB