Penn State Q&A, Part 2: What Is Sean Clifford's Ceiling This Season?
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Penn State has spent every day since the Outback Bowl hitting the reset switch in some fashion. The Lions are installing a new defense, re-installing a year-old offense, introducing two new coordinators and still are trying to wrap their fundraising heads around Name, Image and Likeness.
With that in mind, we figured it's time for a Penn State FAQ on all things offseason. Here's Part 2 of our look at some of the most curious topics surrounding the Lions this offseason. Check out Part 1 here.
Will Sean Clifford go out with a bang?
Penn State's first sixth-year quarterback carries both enormous pressure and a nothing-to-lose spirit. Those dueling forces might serve him well.
Clifford has been clear that playing in the same offense for a second consecutive year — and with the same coordinator — has improved his outlook considerably. Both he and head coach James Franklin further called this past spring Clifford's best at Penn State.
"Getting a veteran quarterback like Sean Clifford, with the same offensive coordinator for two years and being able to mentor two, really three, talented underclass quarterbacks, all these things gain value," Franklin said.
But Clifford wants to be more than a mentor. Don't forget that he played pretty well last season before the injury at Iowa. Clifford's completion rate was 66.3 percent and his TD/INT ratio was 11/5. After the injury, Clifford threw at a 57.2 percent clip with a TD/INT ratio of 10/3.
Further, Clifford's QB rating was 150 or better three times in the first five games. After the injury, Clifford's rating topped 150 just once (174.1 in the loss to Michigan State).
If Clifford can get off to a similar start, maintain it and not get hurt (admittedly big ifs), he could be the Big Ten's most-improved player. He's also a value bet for the Heisman Trophy, according to Circa Sports, which lists him at +15,000 — the same as Kentucky quarterback, and former Penn State teammate, Will Levis.
OK, what about the offensive line?
No promises here about 2022 finally being the year. But the Lions have some measurables.
Two veterans (center Juice Scruggs and right tackle Caedan Wallace) along with left tackle Olu Fashanu ready to go. And Landon Tengwall should occupy one guard spot. That's plenty of recruiting firepower there.
Tengwall was the highest-rated player in Penn State's 2021 class, according to 247Sports. Wallace was the No. 3 player in 2019. Scruggs was 2018 four-star. And Fashanu, a three-star prospect, emerged as a player to watch last season.
Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein is quite high on Wallace ("I played tackle in the SEC, and he's way more athletic than me," Trautwein) and called guard/center Nick Dawkins his most improved player. In addition, transfer guard Hunter Nourzad was an FCS All-American at Cornell.
Yes, we realize line questions are eternal. But if you're looking forward, there's a start.
Why is James Franklin pressing NIL so hard?
Because clearly Penn State hasn't supported the initiative, either from an organizational or fan-related perspective, as much as Franklin would like. Franklin most certainly isn't alone in that regard among college football coaches, who always want more staff, more resources, more money, more everything.
Penn State has tried the entrepreneurial pitch, it has several collectives in tow and it has an incoming athletic director in Patrick Kraft who realizes NIL's importance, particularly to revenue sports. And the athletic department has made some headway. Penn State's NIL site notes that more than 130 athletes have signed deals with more than 145 brands.
But Franklin is adamant that football needs more resources to recruit, and perhaps more importantly retain, players to keep pace with the pack.
"We've got to do everything we possibly can to put Penn State in the best position this season, and then also protecting our own roster for the future, and then also putting ourselves in a position to be able to tell a story and show the incoming guys what we’re doing and how we’re taking care of our program and our current roster," Franklin said.
Perhaps a football-only collective could provide more focus and shake more cash from donors. In the meantime, Franklin certainly would thank Nittany Commonwealth's '409' tier members who subscribe for $10,000 per year and the Success With Honor members who give $500 per month.
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
