UNIVERSITY PARK — For a guy whose last season saw the Nittany Lions stumble to an 0-5 start for the first time in their history that included his temporary benching, quarterback Sean Clifford somehow emerged with unshaken confidence.
Clifford returns as this year’s starter and while the journalism major knows the No. 1 Penn State storyline — how he bounces back under his third offensive coordinator in three years — he was only going to endure the line of questioning so long.
“I know there were times I didn’t play to my expectations, and I’m not going to deny what happened last year,” he told reporters on the Beaver Stadium turf Saturday during Penn State’s annual media day. “But this is 2021. I’m a very confident quarterback with a very confident team.
“We’re 0-0 and going to (open at) Wisconsin and having a chance to win a Big Ten championship. We have so much in front of us.”
He believes his 2020 slow starts, fumbles and interceptions that dug the Lions their early-season hole will serve to strengthen him.
“I feel better having been tested through all this,” he said. “That’s the best thing that’s happened to me. I’ve been battled tested.”
He’s also gotten a fresh start with new OC Mike Yurcich, a quarterback guru hired by James Franklin to energize the Lions’ offense.
“Nothing against (past coordinators) coach (Ricky) Rahne and coach (Kirk) Ciarrocca,” Clifford said. “(But) coach Yurcich has a different feel. He holds you accountable for every single thing you do.”
The pandemic precluded relationship building with Ciarocca last year. Clifford says he’s played golf, “built trust” with Yurcich and is eager to show the kind of quarterback he often was in winning 10 of 12 starts, including the Cotton Bowl, in 2019.
“We had a killer summer,” Clifford, who is 14-6 as Penn State’s starter, said. “Super proud of our team and how motivated we are. I expect us to score a lot of points.”
So does Yurcich, whose previous stops at Oklahoma State and Texas produced the nation’s top-scoring offenses. Clifford recently connected with Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph, who worked under Yurcich at Okie State.
He said Rudolph told him, “‘Coach is going to push you and make you a better player.’ I see that every single day.”
Yurcich’s basic quarterback fundamentals are “your eyes and your feet,” and Clifford said, “He can see what you’re seeing through his eyes, and that’s how we mesh together and that’s how this offense is going to be.”
Franklin assessed the transition as “so far, so good” and plans for the Lions “to get back” to their 2016 form when they won the Big Ten behind a high-scoring, spread-the-field style guided by Joe Moorhead and engineered by Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley.
“We had a lot of spread concepts when we got here and took it to another level with Joe and getting as many guys as possible in space,” Franklin said. “I’m excited to get our identity back to who we’ve been.”
That doesn’t mean, however, the Lions will be slinging the ball all over the field.
“If you’re able to throw it vertically, it’s because you’ve gotten the defense to respect your run game,” Yurcich said.
Franklin, who has even/finally consented to some QB-under-center plays instead of all shotgun all the time, added: “You want to run the ball when everyone in the stadium knows you’re going to.”
Clifford’s running at times has provided clutch first downs, but he’s also rushed 215 times in the last two seasons — far too many.
He said he’ll do what the offense calls for him, adding, “I’m a good runner,” but you get the feeling Yurcich won’t overtax the Lions’ only experienced QB to that degree. Backup Ta’Quan Roberson hasn’t taken a meaningful snap entering his third season.
Plus there’s no acclimation period, no non-conference warm-ups as the Lions open the season Sept. 4 at rugged Wisconsin, a favorite to win the Big Ten West.
Asked how long it may take for Yurcich’s offense to hit its stride, Franklin quickly responded: “It better be early, and we’re approaching it that way.”
“(Clifford’s) ceiling is very high,” Yurcich said. “I think he can get a lot better.”
Penn State’s 2021 hopes are riding on it.
Rudel can be reached at 814-946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.
