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Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford. Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Did Penn State choose the wrong quarterback in 2020?

By Ethan Petrik | Last updated 9/29/22

Recent comments from national sports media analysts call into question whether Penn State made the right decision to pick Sean Clifford over Will Levis following the 2020 season.

Yesterday, as Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt joined The Herd for his weekly appearance, show host Colin Cowherd gushed about Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, calling him the second best quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft class.

A day earlier, ESPN’s Todd McShay touted Levis as a “clear-cut top-3” quarterback in the 2023 draft class.

The clear-cut top-3 QBs in 2023 class are CJ Stroud, Bryce Young and Will Levis. Tyler Van Dyke and Anthony Richardson are loaded with traits but have disappointed. Talking to NFL scouts, these QB’s are rising fast: BYU Jaren Hall, UT Hendon Hooker and Fresno St Jake Haener.
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) September 27, 2022

The comments from both McShay and Cowherd further the doubt that Penn State fans may have regarding James Franklin's decision to start Clifford over Levis.

Since departing Happy Valley, Levis and the Wildcats burst on the national scene with a 10-3 record and 20-17 win over Iowa in the VRBO Citrus Bowl last season. Levis finished the season with 2,826 passing yards, 24 touchdowns to 13 interceptions and a 66% completion percentage. He also added 376 yards on the ground and nine more touchdowns.

In 2022, the senior signal caller picked up where he left off and has accumulated 1,185 yards while tossing 10 touchdowns and four interceptions with a 67.5% completion percentage, leading Kentucky to a 4-0 record and the seventh spot in the latest AP poll.

The buzz surrounding the budding star would lead anyone to believe Penn State made the wrong decision--no ifs, ands or buts about it.

However, the play of Clifford does offer a strong rebuttal to that notion.

After Levis departed in 2020, Clifford took over the Nittany Lions offense and amassed 3,107 yards, 21 touchdowns to eight interceptions and a 61% completion percentage.

A 7-6 record and loss in the outback bowl does mar Clifford's resume, but Penn State has similarly jumped out to a 4-0 record in 2022.

Sitting at No. 11 in the latest AP poll, Penn State made a statement two weeks ago with a 41-12 road victory over Auburn. Meanwhile, Clifford has put up 890 passing yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception so far in 2022.

Given the play and success of both quarterbacks since Levis' departure, James Franklin and Co. can be absolved of any malice levied against them. In the same way few disparaged Ryan Day and Ohio State for choosing Dwayne Haskins over Joe Burrow in 2018, the same applies to Penn State.

The slight edge will be given to Levis for the star power created since leaving Penn State, but the fact remains that Penn State found success with Clifford under center and could not have gone wrong with either signal caller.

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