NFF National Scholar-Athletes
QB - 3.45 GPA – Public Relations
Head Coach: James Franklin | Athletics Director: Sandy Barbour
Faculty Athletics Representatives: Dr. Dennis Scanlon
The only three-year team captain in Penn State history, Sean Clifford has already earned his degree while ranking in the top 10 in nearly every school career passing category. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native becomes the Nittany Lions' 19th NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
After graduating in 2020 with a degree in public relations, Clifford is currently pursuing a master's in journalism. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection is also a five-time Dean's List honoree.
This season, Clifford has guided the Nittany Lions to a 7-5 record while completing 247 passes for 2,912 yards and 20 touchdowns and adding two rushing scores. His 2,912 passing yards are fourth in the Big Ten. Clifford was named the conference's Co-Offensive Player of the Week following Penn State's 38-17 win over Villanova in which he threw for a career-high 401 yards and tied a career-high with four touchdowns. The Nittany Lions now await their bowl game.
Clifford is one of just three Nittany Lions to reach 8,000 career yards of total offense and one of just three Penn State quarterbacks to eclipse 7,500 career passing yards. Penn State's career leader with a 61.0 completion percentage, he also ranks third all-time in passing yards (7,644), second in passing touchdowns (61), fourth in completions (593), fourth in passing attempts (973), third in 300-yard passing games (seven) and second in yards of total offense (8,495).
An Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in 2019, Clifford quarterbacked the Nittany Lions to a win over Memphis in the 2019 Cotton Bowl while leading them to final national rankings in both 2019 (No. 9) and 2018 (No. 17). In 2020, he ranked second in the Big Ten in passing yards (1,883) and touchdowns (16) while ranking third in passing touchdowns (23) in 2019.
Clifford is part of Penn State's Athletics Director's Leadership Institute, which encourages student-athletes to learn different leadership theories and perspectives and ultimately create their own philosophies. Active with the Team IMPACT program, he has become the biggest supporter of nine-year-old cancer patient Sawyer Bell, who was an honorary signee by the Nittany Lions in 2019. The 2021 Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist also serves on the board and is a past president of Penn State's Uplifting Athletes chapter.
