First half 'growing pains' lead to late resurgence for Clifford, offense
MADISON, Wisc. - Sean Clifford understood the issues preventing the Penn State offense from finding its footing. The first public foray for the Nittany Lions’ offense, Mike Yurcich at the helm yielded few discernible positives in its first-half performance at Wisconsin. Held to just 43 yards of total offense, converting only 1-of-7 third downs with a 0-for-1 mark on fourth downs, Clifford granted that the absence of explosive plays, a stagnant running game, and his accuracy with the football all played a part in his side’s absence of points.
But, he insisted, the limited opportunity didn’t equate to dismal performance.
“We were on the sideline and we kept saying, ‘It’s going to happen.’ That’s just how this offense is,” Clifford said. “We were going to get hot, so it was just a matter of time. And we just kept believing in that.”
The Nittany Lions’ belief proved to be well-founded.
Earning a 16-10 win against the No. 12-ranked Badgers to open the 2021 season, the Nittany Lions both relied on a steadfast defensive performance and, eventually, their own offensive success. Facing a Wisconsin program that had built a nearly 2:1 advantage in total plays in the first half, and kept it through the rest of the game, that persistence paid off.
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Opening the second half forcing a three-and-out from the Badgers, the Nittany Lions pounced. Establishing their first burst of offensive proficiency with three completions in quick succession to double their first down output, a Wisconsin defensive pass interference moved Penn State onto the hosts’ side of the field for just the second time all game.
Spurred on by the confidence expressed by Yurcich in the halftime locker room, Clifford noted that the approach to come out firing was yet another boost to the confidence that has been laid as a foundation to the group’s success this season.
“We really knew that once we hit that first one, it was going to spark,” Clifford said. “So it was just a waiting game of let’s hit this first down, start rolling and we can get it going. He knew that we were close, like one play away, so he was excited (at halftime) to get back out, make some adjustments, and hit something big.”
Yurcich, Clifford, and the rest of the Nittany Lions needn’t wait much longer.
Finding themselves quickly in Wisconsin territory, the moment arrived to take a shot downfield. Given that opportunity, Clifford found a wide-open Jahan Dotson deep down the field to complete a 49-yard pass-and-catch touchdown strike and take a 7-0 lead.
Rejecting the notion that Penn State’s offense was deficient from the one that had built his confidence through the months of tireless offseason work, Clifford and the Nittany Lions found their moment from which to build.
By the game’s end, that manifested itself as 254 second-half yards, six explosive plays (five coming in the second half), and most importantly, the necessary 16 points to produce a win.
Undeterred by a first-half that didn’t match hopes, but wasn’t entirely unexpected, Clifford framed the performance as one worthy of the excitement he felt in that moment.
“That was one of the things I didn’t want it to happen, but at the same time with a new offense, it’s just growing pains,” Clifford said. “I was excited with how we played in the second half and that’s what we’re going to build on. Learn from the first half and grow from the second half.”
Penn State will get that opportunity when it hosts Ball State for its first home game of the 2021 season. The game will kickoff at 3:30 with a national broadcast on FS1.
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