Penn State football’s Sean Clifford listed as a breakout QB for 2019
Athlon Sports anticipates a breakout season from Penn State football’s Sean Clifford in 2019.
The pressure is officially on for Penn State football quarterback, Sean Clifford. Earlier in the year, Clifford expected to be heading into training camp as the consensus backup quarterback. After wrapping up his redshirt freshman season in 2018, Clifford anticipated some extra time to develop his game as he intended on playing the second-string role behind Tommy Stevens.
That’s not what would happen, though. Stevens surprised the Nittany Lions when he entered the infamous transfer portal. None of his teammates knew he had eyes for another program — not even his friend and teammate, Sean Clifford. So when the day came, and everybody found out Stevens was off to Mississippi State to play quarterback for the Bulldogs, Clifford immediately recognized his increase in rank and stepped right into the QB1 role.
Now, don’t get mixed up quite yet. James Franklin has not, and will not announce Clifford as the starting quarterback anytime soon. As expected, Franklin is practicing what he preaches. And what he preaches is competition. Before Stevens routed to Mississippi, Franklin wouldn’t promise him a starting role. Instead, he had to earn it in the offseason.
Sean Clifford’s situation is no different. Despite being with the Lions for the last two seasons, and even earning a few snaps in the regular season, Clifford won’t be handed out the job based off of his minimal experience. He will have to battle with the war-ready Will Levis in the offseason.
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Many expect Clifford to win the starting position. And some publications believe he will do more than just win the first-string role in Happy Valley. According to Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan, Sean Clifford is expected to be a top 25 breakout quarterback candidate for the 2019 season.
A big season brewing for Clifford?
"“Penn State’s quarterback battle took a bit of an unexpected twist when Tommy Stevens decided to transfer at the end of spring practice. Stevens’ decision opens the door for Clifford to become the No. 1 quarterback, and the sophomore has big shoes to fill in replacing Trace McSorley” “The Ohio native played in four games as McSorley’s backup last season and connected on five of seven throws for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Clifford has displayed a strong arm in his limited time, and as indicated by coach James Franklin at Big Ten Media Days, the sophomore has worked to improve his athleticism and speed to fit what is required by the quarterback in Penn State’s offense.”"
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Sean Clifford, if starting, will have some big shoes to fill following Trace McSorley’s impressive stint as the Nittany Lions’ quarterback. While Clifford hasn’t displayed the same multi-talented abilities as McSorley quite yet, Franklin did give a reason for fans to be excited about Clifford’s potential as both, a passer and a runner. This offseason, he’s been working on his speed and athleticism so he can run the offense better. If all goes well, don’t be surprised to see Clifford rise to stardom during his first go-round as a starting quarterback in the NCAA.