When Sean Clifford looks back on a difficult 2020 season and its influence on his development, he feels the struggles he and his team endured helped him grow more as a person than they did as a football player.
After a solid first season under center in 2019, Clifford's shortcomings in 2020 have been well documented by now. He had problems with turnovers — especially amid Penn State's 0-5 start, when Clifford threw eight of his nine interceptions for the season. He was briefly benched in favor of backup Will Levis, who is now at Kentucky.
Now, like any player coming off a season that didn't live up to expectations, Clifford is trying to make sure the lessons stick in a way that ensures the same problems don't hamper him again.
"It was definitely a difficult year for everybody including myself," Clifford said. "So many things, just about leadership and hard work and staying the course, honestly. From all of those experiences I've just piled up into my memory bank, just how to deal with certain situations on and off the field.
"I feel truly grown up through the sport now."
Clifford places value on having experienced both failure and success in his career. He quarterbacked Penn State to an 11-2 record and Cotton Bowl victory in 2019, while throwing for 2,654 yards and 23 scores before last season's disappointment.
"I've had both now," he said. "I've had triumphs and trials, and I appreciate every bit of it."
That includes his benching.
Clifford was removed in the second quarter of Penn State's loss to Nebraska in favor of Levis, with the Nittany Lions trailing in that game, 24-3. Levis then started the Nittany Lions' matchup with Iowa the following week, though Clifford did enter that game late with Penn State behind.
"I'm really proud of the way that I handled it, personally," he said. "And I'm very thankful for my teammates as well because they had my back through it all. It was definitely a challenge, to be benched on national television for everybody to see, it takes a lot out of you.
"You're that guy. You want to lead your team. You want to be there for everybody, and the one week that you don't have that opportunity, it kind of hurts. I'd be lying if I said it didn't, but at the same time I knew that I had to be there for my teammates and for Will especially."
The struggle, the disappointment and the frustration have all helped to inform Clifford's attitude this spring.
According to offensive lineman Mike Miranda, the players on Penn State's roster feel that Clifford is a guy they can "lean on" because of the attitude he's brought to each practice.
"He's just a leader," Miranda said. "Everybody on the team knows what we're going to get out of him every day. He's super consistent, the energy that he brings and the focus that he brings to each practice."
Penn State coach James Franklin said last week that he thought new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich was impressed with Clifford's grasp on the the Nittany Lions' new offense in spring ball — something Clifford and the rest of Penn State's offense didn't have the luxury of last season when installing Kirk Ciarrocca's offense.
Put simply, Franklin thinks Clifford has performed like a veteran this spring.
"He's a smart guy," Franklin said. "He asks a lot of really good questions. He's had a lot of success and he's had a lot of adversity, and with that comes maturity, comes wisdom, comes experiences. He's a guy that really wants to be good and really works at it, both mentally and physically."
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