Penn State’s Dotson trying to put last loss behind him
were not glittering in consecutive losses to Illinois and Iowa, primarily because of an unspecified injury to Penn State’s starting quarterback. Clifford left the Iowa game early in the second quarter and did not return. Backup Ta’Quan Roberson struggled mightily. Clifford played the entire game against Illinois, but he was clearly hampered and limited by his injury.
Dotson caught six passes for 58 yards against the Illini, including a 36-yarder on which he leaped between two defenders to make the play.
“Dotson’s one of the better wide receivers in the country,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “We’ve got to know where he is at all times. They’re going to try to find ways to get him the ball, for sure. We have to know exactly where he is.”
Last year at Beaver Stadium, Dotson made eight catches for 144 yards and three touchdowns against the Buckeyes, including a couple spectacular ones, in a 38-25 loss.
“That was probably one of the best games of my career, a game that I’ll never forget,” he said. “To be honest, I’m going to try to do the same this year, if not even better. That’s just the mindset that I was born and raised with, not even dwelling on the past, just trying to be better this week, trying to be better than I was last year and the year before that.”
The 5-11, 184-pound Dotson leads the Big Ten with 49 receptions, is tied for second with six touchdown catches and is fourth with 552 receiving yards.
With Clifford’s health in question, it remains to be seen how it impacts Dotson’s production the rest of the year. Penn State still has to play Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State, all ranked in the top 10.
“It’s fairly simple,” Dotson said. “Ever since I’ve gotten here, Coach Franklin has really drilled in our heads about going 1-0. Me being in the program for four years now, that’s just something that’s engraved in my mind. That’s all I’m focused on right now, just going 1-0.”
Dotson, Clifford and other players have said they like how their team has responded in the days since the embarrassing 20-18 loss to Illinois. On Monday, a day off from practice, Lasch Building was filled with guys studying film and doing rehab, they said.
Dotson was so affected by the defeat that he went to work Saturday night not long after the game.
“I got home around 6:30,” he said. “I watched film for about three hours. … We got a lot of vets who have been in this position before, so we know what we need to do to bounce back. We’ve just got to keep our heads down, focus and work every day.”
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Clifford was named Wednesday as one of the 13 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented to the most outstanding scholar-athlete in college football. He is the 19th Penn State player to be so recognized and the first since quarterback Trace McSorley in 2018. Nittany Lions guard John Urschel won the Campbell Trophy in 2013.
Clifford will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Class. The winner will be announced at the NFF’s annual awards banquet Dec. 7 in Las Vegas.
He owns a 3.45 cumulative grade-point average. He graduated with a degree in public relations in December 2020 and is pursuing a second degree in journalism.
“It’s an honor, for sure,” Clifford said. “I’m not going to downgrade that. I’m really excited to be a finalist, to represent my team, my school and my family. But at the same time, it’s tough to sit back and look at any sort of accolade or any sort of trophy or anything like that when you have such a big game coming up this Saturday.”
Penn State coach James Franklin said Tuesday that he expects Clifford to be 100% for the Ohio State game.
“Yeah, I feel good,” Clifford said. “Obviously, I didn’t feel 100% (against Illinois), but at the same time, I felt good enough to play. This week I really, truly, believe that I will be at 100% by the end of the week.”