Penn State Football: Getting to know starting QB Sean Clifford

Prep school career

Sean Clifford has been known as a fierce competitor for as long as he’s been on a football field. He played his high school ball at powerhouse St. Xavier in Ohio, but his recognition couldn’t be contained to state lines.

The four-star recruit wowed coaches at the Elite 11 camp back in 2016, which is known as the top camp for highly sought-after quarterback recruits. His performance at Elite 11 put the nail in the coffin for many big time football programs, leading to scholarship offers. Clifford was offered by 30-plus FBS schools, most notably Michigan, Notre Dame and Auburn, but he ultimately chose Penn State.

At St. Xavier, Clifford’s stat were quite impressive.

In his senior campaign, he led his injury-riddled team to a 10-5 record, then a state championship victory. Clifford was also nursing a hamstring injury for much of the season, but played through it at a high level. He threw for 1,426 yards, and tossed nine touchdowns versus only three interceptions.

What really makes Clifford special is his ability to extend and make plays with his legs, without relying on them for everything. He rushed for 560 yards during his season season, and he also racked up 12 rushing touchdowns.