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Penn State’s quarterback depth chart took a hit on Sunday afternoon when it was reported by 247Sports that redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Johnson Jr. had entered the transfer portal. In his first season on campus, Johnson didn’t officially appear in any games, but did make a brief unofficial appearance against Michigan State in a play that was ruled dead before it began.
A four-star athlete in the 2019 recruiting class, Johnson came to Penn State as a quarterback with plenty of potential, but one that would take time to develop as a passer. That being said, there was plenty of speculation that due to his athleticism, the coaching staff may look to move him around the field in order to get him on the field.
This development isn’t necessarily surprising, since Johnson was likely going to enter the season fourth on the quarterback depth chart behind Sean Clifford, Will Levis, and TaQuan Roberson on the Nittany Lions’ roster. With four-star QB Christian Villiuex committed in the 2021 recruiting class, it was possible that Johnson was going to find himself even lower on the depth chart next season.
With Johnson hitting the transfer portal, the Nittany Lions are now down to the required 85-scholarship mark for the 2020 season. The Nittany Lions are set to start voluntary workouts tomorrow.