One of the biggest wildcards in the entire Southeastern Conference this season arrived on campus just a few months ago as this time last year, Tommy Stevens anticipated being the starting quarterback at Penn State for his senior season. Of course, things did not work out that way which has led the senior signal-caller to reunite with Joe Moorhead at Mississippi State.

After battling it out with Penn State quarterbacks Trace McSorley and Sean Clifford over the years, Stevens finds himself in a similar situation in Starkville with the Bulldogs currently in training camp and just weeks away from the season opener against Louisiana Lafayette. This time, however, he’s doing it as the new face on the team and competing against Keytaon Thompson, a player that’s now experienced three training camps in Starkville.

So how have the Bulldogs embraced the team’s new quarterback? According to the graduate transfer quarterback, the team has embraced him with open arms.

“It’s been really good those guys have been great with me. I think that not only the quarterback room but all the guys,” Steven said on Monday during his recent media availability. “I really wasn’t too concerned about it. I guess I found ways to interact with people with wherever I’ve been. So, I wasn’t really too worried about the relationship, aspect and obviously like you know it was going to be different. Coming here not knowing really anybody, but you know everybody’s been great with me. Everyone’s treated me like their own.”

If getting along with his new teammates hasn’t been an issue, what has the biggest adjustment for the former Penn State signal-caller? It didn’t take him long to come up with that answer.

“The heat,” he said.

That’s something he had better get used to in a hurry as Mississippi State doesn’t leave the South this season.