Penn State six-year quarterback Sean Clifford’s ‘strategic approach’ to the upcoming season

Sean Clifford spent this summer filling out his Google Drive calendar more than in previous years. He hasn’t made any significant changes to his offseason routine but has been more cognizant of maintaining it.

“I think it’s more of a strategic approach,” Clifford said during Penn State’s annual Media Day, Saturday. “I’ve always been someone who’s going to put in the time. It’s more just being smarter about it and using my time extremely wisely ... Really enhancing the planner to make sure I hit everything.”

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound quarterback has taken this initiative in an effort to right the ship following Penn State’s combined 11-11 record over the last two years. This fall will be Clifford’s first operating the same offense for a second-straight season since being named the starter in 2019.

He pointed to that continuity as the primary reason he’s so excited to return for this, his sixth and final season.

Last season, Clifford finished with a career-high 3,107 yards completing 60.4 percent of his passes. He also threw for 21 touchdowns and 8 interceptions – both his second most in a single season.

In January 2021, Mike Yurcich was hired as the Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach , succeeding Kirk Ciarrocca (now with Minnesota). Ciarrocca replaced Ricky Rahne after the 2019 season – Clifford’s first year as a starter.

Yurcich couldn’t nail down one aspect of Clifford’s game that has made the biggest stride from the end of last year.

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“I think it’s more about knowing where problems exist on certain elements that only we, as coaches, can see,” Yurcich said. “But that’s my job, to make sure he’s seeing those things and he knows what the answers are… For him to come back this season tells me a lot about him and what his goals are and how important Penn State is for him.”

His longevity and ability to return each season now has Clifford on the precipice of multiple program career records heading into year six.

He sits second in touchdown passes (61), nine from tying Trace McSorley (2015-18). His 7,644 career passing yards rank third in program history behind McSorley (9,899) and Christian Hackenberg (8,457).

“The experiences I’ve had being here have been so amazing,” Clifford said. “Like the experience of being in a white out or playing in the biggest, baddest games in college football. It’s something not a lot of people can say they’ve done.”

Through the start of fall camp, Clifford has taken the majority of starting reps, as expected.

Redshirt freshman Christian Veilleux has taken the next most. He appeared in two games last season and became the first true freshman to throw a touchdown since Hackenberg against Wisconsin in 2013. True freshman Drew Allar and Beau Pribula have split the remaining reps.

Yurcich described the four quarterbacks as “film rats” who constantly ask questions and learn from one another.

“I think we have crazy depth,” Veilleux said. “I think we have crazy talent in that room too. We all make each other better. We’re all just a bunch of guys playing football together.”

In terms of targets, Clifford lost his top target from a year ago in Jahan Dotson, who was drafted 16th overall by the Washington Commanders. Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith – who saw the second and third most targets – both return this season.

Penn State also added wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley, a senior transfer from Western Kentucky who is a bit “ahead of the curve,” according to Yurcich, in part because he has two full seasons under his belt.

It’s a belief that those pieces, coupled with continuity in the system and Clifford’s experience and approach to running it will reap rewards on offense when the season begins for the Nittany Lions on the road Sept. 1 against Purdue.

“Having the same offensive coordinator and the same offensive system for multiple years,” Franklin said, “there’s a ton of value in that. I think we have the ability to do some pretty good things on offense with a returning starting quarterback, the personnel and the coordinator.”