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Penn State Football: Sean Clifford entering 2019 under the radar

By Collin Wieder

PISCATAWAY, NJ - NOVEMBER 17: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks to pass alongside Sean Clifford #14 before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at HighPoint.com Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - NOVEMBER 17: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks to pass alongside Sean Clifford #14 before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at HighPoint.com Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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Rarely do former four-star recruits enter a season underrated, but Penn State football quarterback Sean Clifford is according to one publication.

First-year starters, especially quarterbacks, must prove they can play at a high level in order to gain respect. There are plenty of QBs in the Big Ten Conference looking to gain respect with as could see as many as seven new starters in the conference this year. Penn State football for sure will with the departure of senior QB Trace McSorley.

Redshirt sophomore Sean Clifford takes over for the program’s all-time leading passer. He’s not started a game yet, but he’s only shown positives as a starter, so it came as a bit of shock to see Athlon Sports list him as No. 10 out of 14 on its Ranking of Big 10 QBs for 2019.

Clifford has shown an impressive skill set in just a short amount of time. First and foremost, he’s got a canon for an arm. I know that comparison is thrown around a lot, but he can air-it-out. He’s also a well-rounded athlete, making plays as a runner too. He proved that in the Blue-White game that this offense can still make plays with its QB on the ground.

He also took care of the football and showed some nice accuracy, throwing with the proper touch and power on throws. He’s not a completely proven player right now, but, he’ll lock in that he’s a quality starter in the Big Ten Conference. Clifford’s reps so far show that he can quarterback Penn State to more quality seasons and keep this great run going.

The biggest gripe I have with the list is the fact that Hunter Johnson at Northwestern is ahead of him, when he’s not started a game either. And in the same breath, that Justin Fields, who has yet to start a game in college either, was placed No. 2 on that list.

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Yes, Ohio State always boasts a top-tier offense, and Fields is the No. 1 QB in the Class of 2018. However, he’s ahead of a proven starter in Nathan Stanley. I’m not saying that Fields can’t climb to No. 2 in the conference, because he’s a prototypical, hyper-athlete, it’s just a little much to push him that high.

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