Penn State Football: Former Quarterback Steven Bench Picks South Florida

Another one of Penn State’s post-sanction transfers found a new home Thursday as former Penn State quarterback Steven Bench announced that he will be attending the University of South Florida.

“I’ve decided to attend the University of South Florida and become a bull!!” Bench tweeted.

Bench will not have to sit out a year per normal NCAA regulations. Until the start of training camp this August, players currently on Penn State’s roster are still free to transfer without penalty per a NCAA ruling as part of the sanctions handed out last July.

The Cairo, Ga., native considered several closer to home, including Mississippi State, South Florida and North Carolina State, according to media reports.

While at Penn State, Bench only saw action in one game against the University of Virginia while playing behind quarterback Matt McGloin.

This spring Bench and junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson both battled for position in the ongoing quarterback race. Having ended the spring period neck-in-neck Bench opted to take his talents elsewhere rather than possibly falling behind Ferguson and incoming freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg.

“I thought that he got better throughout the spring,” Penn State coach Bill O’Brien said during a stop on the Coaches’ Caravan tour. “And I have nothing but great things to say about him, and I felt that he still had room to get better and would still get reps here. No starter has been named, but I told him that going in that he may not get as many reps as some of the other guys but you’re still going to get reps.”

Penn State opens the 2013 season in exactly 100 days from Thursday. The Nittany Lions are looking to improve on an 8-4 record and have a favorable schedule to open the season with a new quarterback.