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Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley (9) scrambles during recent workout at Holuba Hall.

(PennLive/Joe Hermitt)

I can sense some guarded optimism among not only fans but some of my colleagues in the media regarding Penn State's new offense, coordinated by a fresh coordinator (Joe Moorhead) and quarterback (Trace McSorley). I share the sentiments.

There are established legitimate reasons for this: The system should much more mesh with the QB. Both will make it easier on an offensive line that should be maturing at some positions and gaining depth at others.

Moreover, McSorley showed everyone something when he stepped into his first angry action against Georgia and fared very well. He played with confidence and even some fire.

That said, I would maintain a guarded nature because of one factor that I don't think is getting as much attention as maybe it should. That is the new quarterback's size.

Trace McSorley is small by Power Five conference standards. How small? Really small. And that means he's going to have to be really good at his job.

McSorley is going to have to do everything as expertly and quickly as every small quarterback always has. It's not impossible by any means to excel at 6 feet and 196 pounds. Two of the greatest quarterbacks in Big Ten history were fairly comparable in size - Wisconsin's Russell Wilson (5-11, 201) and Purdue's Drew Brees (6-1, 220).

But it makes everything tougher. You must avoid big hits either scrambling or on planned runs. You must get the ball out quicker because you need more clearance for your throws and more space in front of you to see where you're throwing.

Being as small as McSorley simply puts you more at risk. You need to see everything and judge it more quickly than someone of the size of, say, Michael Robinson or Daryll Clark. Your footwork must be clean and efficient. Otherwise, you will take the physical abuse bigger QBs can absorb but you can't.

And McSorley is small. Only one of the projected starting quarterbacks from the 65 Power Five conference schools is smaller - Georgia Tech's Alabama-bred triple-option trigger man Justin Thomas (5-11, 185), who ranked fourth in the ACC in rushing in 2014 and is built more like a running back than quarterback. Only two others among the Power Five are really even in the vicinity of his size - West Virginia's Skyler Howard (6-0, 207) and Oregon State's Darrel Garretson (6-0, 208).

After that, you're getting into the minor-conferences where there are no Reuben Fosters or Joey Bosas to make you pay so severely for indiscretions. That's a big reason Group of Five QBs like South Florida's Quinton Flowers (6-0, 209) and Houston's Greg Ward (5-11, 185) can be so successful playing read-option and keeping on planned runs quite a bit. That and the fact that they're lightning quick - really in a different class than McSorley - and defenders almost never get a square lick on them.

Assuming he secures the starting job over Tommy Stevens, it will be imperative that McSorley plays smart above all else. Because PSU's offense will require that he presents a threat as a runner, we assume he'll run on planned keepers six to 10 times a game. But he has to keep the collateral contact to a minimum.

That can be a difficult mandate to get one's mind around when you have the obvious fighting spirit of McSorley. We saw enough of him in the Georgia game to already see clearly he is not lacking for courage.

But courage can get you hurt when you begin freelancing at 6-0, 196. And Penn State cannot afford to lose him.

Here are the 13 schools out of the 128 in FBS conferences who are expected to start or consider starting a quarterback of no more than 6 feet tall and no more than 210 pounds:

Penn State Trace McSorley 6-0, 196

Georgia Tech Justin Thomas 5-11, 185

West Virginia Skyler Howard 6-0, 207

Oregon State Darrel Garretson 6-0, 208

San Diego State Christian Chapman 6-0, 200

New Mexico Lamar Jordan 5-10, 190

Utah State Kent Myers 6-0, 195

Air Force Nate Romine 5-11, 195

Temple P.J. Walker 5-11, 205

South Florida Quinton Flowers 6-0, 209

Navy Tago Smith 5-10, 201

Houston Greg Ward 5-11, 185

Army Chris Carter 5-11, 182