Penn State Football: Where does Sean Clifford’s starting debut rank?
After a successful debut against Idaho, where does Penn State football quarterback Sean Clifford’s performance rank in comparison to others?
The wait finally ended last weekend. After months and months of being left with the burning question: Who will Penn State football start at quarterback for the 2019 NCAA season? The Nittany Lions gave their answer on a random Friday night via Twitter.
With a compilation video showing Sean Clifford taking on practice reps with the caption “QB1,” Penn State allowed everybody to know who won the summer battle. While Will Levis put up a good fight, James Franklin, Ricky Rahne, and the rest of the program couldn’t further delay the inevitable. The Sean Clifford era was set to begin last Saturday.
Penn State’s week one opponent wasn’t good by any means. However, it was good for Clifford. The redshirt Sophomore has been in a position to play during the regular season before but not like that. For the first time, Clifford was going to debut as a starter.
The nerves were visible for the first couple of drives as Clifford struggled to settle in and deliver accurate passes. After receiving some calming advice from his number one wideout KJ Hamler on the sideline though, Clifford was able to block out noise at Beaver Stadium and focus on the task at hand.
Recalling Sean Clifford’s Debut
Clifford started off the day for the Lions but wasn’t able to finish it. No, it wasn’t due to injury or poor play — rather the Lions took care of the Vandals with ease. The score was well out of reach for Idaho. Therefore, Clifford and the rest of the starters got the rest of the day off.
Overall, Clifford’s debut was solid. He managed to complete 14 of his 23 attempted passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Also, he checked off some boxes in the ground game as well. All in all, Clifford had an impressive debut — but was it the best?
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Recently, Athlon Sports noted 25 college football quarterback debut’s from this past weekend in order of impressiveness. While getting credit for having a “strong debut,” Clifford’s first game as a starter only placed at No. 15, according to Steve Lassan.
Some other notable names on the list include Penn State’s recent transfer, Tommy Stevens. Initially, Stevens was supposed to be the guy taking over for Trace McSorley, but he decided to take his talents to the SEC with Mississippi State.
His performance listed at No. 9 with 20 completions, 236 yards, and two touchdowns. While his numbers are similar to Clifford’s, Stevens’ rushing touchdown on the ground likely gave him the nod here.
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Another Big Ten quarterback made his debut last week too, and Penn State fans know him well. Ohio State’s Justin Fields placed on the list at No. 4. Fields’ day ended early as well with 234 yards and four touchdowns through the air. Along with his passing stats, Fields also made highlights with his impressive 51-yard touchdown run.