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STATE COLLEGE, Pa .– James Franklin was not going to bench Sean Clifford in an unbalanced loss to Maryland, and the Penn State coach is not about to turn his back on his quarterback despite the winless start from Penn State.
Still, Franklin would like some help for his team’s beleaguered starter. It could happen as early as this weekend in Nebraska. The Nittany Lions will try to avoid a 0-4 start by potentially using two quarterbacks.
“We have to get [backup Will Levis] involved in a lot of different ways, to help Sean and keep investing in Will, ” Franklin said Tuesday. “I think you’ll see that move forward. Not just this week, but the rest of the season.”
Levis has come to the aid of the offense in the past. Franklin is now hoping that the bullish runner can provide an extra dimension to a group that is not yet on the right track. The Nittany Lions (0-3) rank in the bottom half of the Big Ten in almost every major offensive category.
They’ll limp in Lincoln with the nation’s 84th-ranked offense led by a second-year starter who was physically and mentally beaten to start the season.
After absorbing six sacks in the first two games, Clifford was downed seven more times in Penn State’s loss to Maryland last week. He threw a pair of interceptions, fumbled once and completed just 47% of his passes on 57 backhands.
“I’m not going to point a single finger,” Clifford said. “There are parts that have to be done and I have to do them.”
Clifford traded in his dirty, grass and dirt stained uniform for a shamrock-adorned shirt after the game. When he stepped out of the locker room, he looked straight ahead, sometimes fixing his gaze downward while speaking to reporters.
“Mentally, I’m pissed off,” Clifford said. “That’s probably the only way I can describe it. We’re a 0-3 football team. I’ve never been on a 0-3 football team. I’ve never lost like that. To say I’m disappointed, frustrated, those are all understatements. ”
The fact that the 6-foot-2, 217-pound quarterback is the team’s best runner with 15 more carries than running back Devyn Ford tells his teammates that Clifford isn’t ready to give up.
A Nebraska secondary that allows opponents to complete 75% of their passes but only allowed four touchdown passes will be the next challenge.
“He wants the ball in his hands, and he wants to be able to play,” tight winger Pat Freiermuth said. “Cliff is a really good runner with the ball. He makes good cuts and good reads and I think that’s the beauty of our attack.”
But that willingness to get the ball in and take off when the pocket breaks – something Clifford has been forced to do more this year – has exposed him to hitting after the fact.
Levis, who registers at 6-3 and 222 pounds, doesn’t hesitate to make contact either.
He replaced an injured Clifford last year against Ohio State where he had 18 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown in a 28-17 loss. He added 17 carries for 108 yards in a win over Rutgers to close out the regular season. He completed 28 of 47 passes for 223 yards with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions last year.
Lévis has rarely been called upon this year. He has two runs for a yard and hasn’t backed down to pass. He also lost a fumble in the opener against Indiana.
“We need him to be productive,” Franklin said. “To be honest with you, there’s an aspect when you put it in the game, they don’t expect it, Will can throw it away.”
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