When four-star 2017 quarterback Sean Clifford committed to Penn State last summer, the Nittany Lions were operating in a pro-style offense. When head coach James Franklin brought on Joe Moorhead to be his new offensive coordinator, the team switched gears to a fast-paced attack.
A talk with James Franklin convinced a 4-star QB to stick with Penn State’s new offense
After some inital concerns, he’s ready to play up-tempo.
Student Sports
Players sometimes decommit after stylistic changes, but talking to SB Nation at The Opening’s Elite 11 finals this week, Clifford was ready for the switch.
Penn State QB commit @seancliff13 wouldn't mind some Tim McGraw on the at #TheOpening (Good luck there, Sean) pic.twitter.com/QM8Pv2LT1o
— SB✯Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) July 8, 2016
“I’m excited about it. I was kind of questioning it at first because I committed to the pro-style so that’s what I thought we’d be doing,” he said. “Once that changed I had to talk to Coach Franklin about what I wanted to do. [Now] I have no problem going into that offense.”
Clifford quieted any talk about Franklin’s inability to help Christian Hackenberg develop during his three years at Penn State, and praised Moorhead.
“I’ve really gotten to know him and I think he’s going to develop me to be the best quarterback I can be,” Clifford said.
Clifford, out of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, is the No. 8 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2017, per the 247Sports Composite. He’s one of four four-star prospects committed to the Nittany Lions.
“I think the tradition is what keeps it going,” Clifford s aid. “They’re on the rise.”
