College Football: Top 5 QB battles to watch during spring 2022

1. Penn State: Sean Clifford vs. Drew Allar

The incumbent versus the upstart seems to be a common topic in these quarterback battles. Quarterback Drew Allar and this incoming recruiting class are why head coach James Franklin decided to stay at Penn State instead of possibly going elsewhere.

One criticism of Franklin has been an inability to get the transformational quarterback. From Trace McSorely to Sean Clifford, the quarterbacks have been solid with limitations. Allar is the best quarterback recruit at Penn State since Kerry Collins.

The case for Clifford

This case is not an easy one to make. The positive is that you know precisely what you will get in Sean Clifford. The negative is that you know precisely what you will get in Sean Clifford. Penn State played Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State close in one-possession losses. Many of their issues were along the offensive line, not at quarterback.

The case for Allar

If Clifford were more of a playmaker, maybe they would win one or two of those one-possession games. Clifford completed just 53.6% of his passes against Michigan and was equally dreadful against Illinois. What Allar lacks in real-time game experience, he more than makes up for in mouth-watering physical talent.

What should Penn State do?

If coach Franklin and the staff feel they are a year away, redshirting Allar would not be a bad idea. However, the counter would be to play him and let him learn on the field if the Nittany Lions don’t feel as if they have a win-now roster. Clifford is experienced and trusted but limited.

This roster could challenge in the Big Ten east and needs a playmaker at quarterback. Allar is that guy, but there is some risk of playing like a freshman. Not everyone plays like Trevor Lawrence as a true freshman. Can Allar?