Penn State Football: 3 storylines to follow this fall

2. Sean Clifford

For Penn State football to return back to form this season, Sean Clifford must be the most improved player on the team. All eyes will be on the three-year starter.

With former backup Will Levis now a Kentucky Wildcat, there is little to no experience behind him. While redshirt sophomore Ta’Quan Roberson and true freshmen Christian Veilleux are intriguing players, it is highly unlikely either supplants Clifford as the starter.

Some of last year’s problems could be attributed to the Covid affected season. There was no spring practice and the conference canceled the season before reversing the decision. This year there are no excuses. The Nittany Lions are hoping Clifford and new offensive coordinator Mike Yurich, who has coached successful quarterbacks at previous destinations, will turn it around.

Clifford’s deficiencies are well documented. His inconsistent footwork leads to poor throws and decisions. In 2019 he had a 23 to seven touchdown to interception ratio. Last year he was poor out of the gate and finished with 16 touchdowns compared to nine interceptions. The turnovers must be cleaned up.

While using his legs to run has been a key aspect of his game, Clifford needs to be a better passer especially in year three. It is time to put it all together. If Clifford at the very least reverts to his 2019 form, the Nittany Lions will be in good shape.