Penn State Football 2021: 5 reasons for optimism, 4 reasons to worry

Reason to Worry #2 – Sean Clifford’s Consistency

I’ve said it before, Sean Clifford has the tools to be a very good college quarterback. However, he is not always able to put it all together, and that could be an issue.

He is mobile, with a strong arm, and displays flashes of accuracy. That also means, however, that he displays flashes of inaccuracy, and sometimes it is in moments that are less than ideal.

Worst case scenario, Penn State Football fans are hoping for Clifford to be a game manager and not turn the ball over. While not turning the ball over is certainly a start, he needs to be able to push the ball downfield through the air relatively consistently for this team to get to where they want to be.

Clifford certainly has a great supporting cast, including a solid offensive line and great wide receivers. He needs to be able to take advantage of that, and it starts between the ears. If Clifford can trust his offensive line to protect him, and have the presence of mind to find the open target downfield, it will go a long way towards his and the team’s success.

Hopefully new Penn State Football offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich can clean up Clifford’s footwork and mechanics so that when he has an open man downfield, he can deliver an accurate pass. Many of Penn State’s games this season will be determined by which version of Sean Clifford takes the field that day.