Slow start can’t stop Penn State’s Clifford
Sean Clifford admitted he had a rough start to Saturday night’s Big Ten game at Iowa.
Looking very much like a young quarterback in the first quarter, Clifford got off to an 0-for-5 start and took two sacks before helping to lead Penn State to a 17-12 victory at Kinnick Stadium.
“This was definitely the first time that I really had a lot of adversity with myself,” he said. “I really had to dig deep. The first quarter was very, very unacceptable for my standard. I’m going to learn a lot from that first quarter.
“But I’m proud of how our offense moved the ball in the second quarter and the second half. We took care of business in the end with the four-minute drill. I’m just happy with how we pulled this one out.”
Clifford finished 12-for24 passing for 117 yards and one touchdown, a 22-yarder to KJ Hamler in the second quarter. He carried 16 times for 52 yards, including a critical 11-yard gain on third-and-10 late in the fourth quarter.
“I think he was a little jittery (early),” wide receiver KJ Hamler said. “But he came through. He made some tough decisions. He showed he’s a warrior. He sucked it up the whole way.”
Most importantly, Clifford did not commit a turnover, despite facing one of the top defenses in the country.
In his first season as the starter, he’s completed 64.2 percent of his passes for
1,560 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s also run for 252 yards and two touchdowns. He still leads the Big Ten in passing yards and total offense.
He has thrown two interceptions without losing a fumble.
“I thought he was a little antsy,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “His footwork made us miss some throws that we had been making. (But) I’m really proud of Sean. He’s a gutsy competitor.
“I thought that thirdand-10 play was big. He’s competing like crazy. The locker room believes in him. The coaches believe in him. Overall, he’s playing really well. He’s 6-0.”
• • • Freshman Noah Cain stated his case to be the No. 1 running back again, carrying a career-high 22 times for 102 yards and one touchdown.
After carrying the ball seven times in the first three quarters, Cain ran 15 times for 67 yards and his score in the fourth quarter. With the Lions leading by five points in the final minutes, he gained five yards on third-and-three to help run out the clock.
“That’s the type of running back he is,” tight end Pat Freiermuth said. “He’s going to put his head down and he’s going to bounce off tackles. He’s going to continue to do that.”
While Franklin was not ready to anoint him the starter, he praised Cain for the way he runs the ball.
“Noah is a downhill guy with very little indecision,” Franklin said. “He’s always falling forward. He continues to do great things. I’m really proud of him. I’m really proud of our o-line. We didn’t play perfect, but they’re getting better.”
• • • Sophomore defensive tackle PJ Mustipher not only forced a fumble that Penn State converted into a field goal, but he also made a career-high seven tackles, including one in the backfield.
Mustipher jarred the football loose from Iowa running back Tyler Goodson in the third quarter, and the fumble was recovered by linebacker Jan Johnson at the Hawkeyes’
16-yard line.
“I got a stunt call, shot through the gap and hit the running back,” Mustipher said. “I didn’t even realize it was a fumble. I wish I could have reacted and got on top of it, or scoop and score or something like that.
“But my guys recovered it, so I was happy with it. It’s one of those plays as a d-lineman that you always want to make. Coach Spence (defensive line coach Sean Spencer) told me we needed a play. I told him I got him, so I went out there and did it.”