Time to play Allar here on out
- Thread starter PSUWrestlingFanSince2011
- Start date
Their defense was in the box all day. They know his completion rate on long passes. They know his overall completion rate.
Even when they did drop, one play in particular Clifford rolled out of a 3 man rush, not under pressure. Rolling right took him away from the open route coming from the left, created pressure from a now moving in LB and ended up throwing it away. All he really had to do was stay in the pocket.
Another play, Tinsley on a 7 yard in needing a quick throw, Clifford with time, held the ball past the break and sent an open Tinsley to the ground desperately reaching behind and INC.
They dared him to pass and spent little time with deep cover.
I guess you could say we “only” had two 3-and-outs in the first half, but we had three total possessions in the first half. Going 3-and-out on 67% of them is pretty brutal, especially for a defense that couldn’t get off the field all day
One play in particular really frustrated me with Clifford: it’s 3rd and 9 and UM clearly jumps offside. Every QB knows to throw it past the sticks in that situation, maybe even take a shot deep. Our 6th year QB instead throws a 1 yard out. On the proceeding 3rd and 4 he is forced to throw it away. Just a total waste of a free play which cannot happen with a QB this experienced.
I'm not sure Allar is the answer right this moment or if he is ready, however what is the biggest concern is Clifford's completion percentage.
So since 2018 his percentages are:
2018 - 71.4 5 of 7
2019- 59.2 189 of 319
2020- 60.6 152 of 251
2021- 61.0 261 of 428
2022- 59.0 92 of 156
This year by game:
Purdue: 54.1 20 of 37
Ohio: 70.4 19 of 27
Auburn: 73.7 14 of 19
Central Michigan: 64.7 22 of 34
Northwestern: 50.0 10 of 20
Michigan : 36.8 7 of 19
Clifford is 90th in completion percentage. I know he runs the offense and makes the calls at the line and does all this other stuff. I also know that Allar may not be ready to step into the role fulltime. Point is, with a 59% completion rate, this team is going to struggle. Defenses will load to stop the run and make Clifford beat them. Depending which Clifford shows up is the problem and the unknown. As you can see from this years games , he ranges all over the board. He is 93rd in passing yards, Tied for 72nd in Touch Downs, Tied for 18th in Interceptions and is 48th in QBR.
Penn State needs to have more consistent play from whoever they put back there, if not everything else doesn't matter.
So since 2018 his percentages are:
2018 - 71.4 5 of 7
2019- 59.2 189 of 319
2020- 60.6 152 of 251
2021- 61.0 261 of 428
2022- 59.0 92 of 156
This year by game:
Purdue: 54.1 20 of 37
Ohio: 70.4 19 of 27
Auburn: 73.7 14 of 19
Central Michigan: 64.7 22 of 34
Northwestern: 50.0 10 of 20
Michigan : 36.8 7 of 19
Clifford is 90th in completion percentage. I know he runs the offense and makes the calls at the line and does all this other stuff. I also know that Allar may not be ready to step into the role fulltime. Point is, with a 59% completion rate, this team is going to struggle. Defenses will load to stop the run and make Clifford beat them. Depending which Clifford shows up is the problem and the unknown. As you can see from this years games , he ranges all over the board. He is 93rd in passing yards, Tied for 72nd in Touch Downs, Tied for 18th in Interceptions and is 48th in QBR.
Penn State needs to have more consistent play from whoever they put back there, if not everything else doesn't matter.
I believec it is time to go with Allar. He can make more throws and has a stronger arm. Clifford does give you a run threat.
Here are my two big concerns regarding the passing game and neither involve Clifford because as far as I'm concerned he is yesterday's news. Time to build for the future.
1) Lost in this game was an underwhelming performance by the WRs and Tight Ends. They are not producing much of anything and the WRs seemingly cannot get separation. Both of these position groups were supposed strengths.
2) Will we see a regression by Allar? In other words will he turn out not to be so good? I guess nobody knows but just concerned Franklin and Yurcich could eff up his development. Admittedly no solid basis for this speculation except the Murphys Law that seems to hover over PSU football.
Here are my two big concerns regarding the passing game and neither involve Clifford because as far as I'm concerned he is yesterday's news. Time to build for the future.
1) Lost in this game was an underwhelming performance by the WRs and Tight Ends. They are not producing much of anything and the WRs seemingly cannot get separation. Both of these position groups were supposed strengths.
2) Will we see a regression by Allar? In other words will he turn out not to be so good? I guess nobody knows but just concerned Franklin and Yurcich could eff up his development. Admittedly no solid basis for this speculation except the Murphys Law that seems to hover over PSU football.
This is a concern (Vellieux) potentially portaling out. That leaves PSU with 3 QBs with very little experience unless Allar gets lots of PT in the final 5 games. I can't believe Vellieux wasn't put into the game when Clifford went down, more mobile that Allar and throws a good catchable ball. It's possible that some promises were made to Allar during his recruitment about the depth chart for 2022. It would not bode well if Vellieux portals.
I can't believe Veilleux was not the backup in the first game. In Veilleux's game action last season what I saw was a QB more mobile than Clifford and more accurate than Clifford. I'm surely not rooting against Allar, but it does not matter why Allar became the #2 QB as any rational person giving Veilleux advice would recommend him going somewhere else in January and competing to start at that school this coming Spring. I believe Veilleux has shown more than any QB that has transferred out of PSU and that includes Levis. And that Veilleux will go to another P5 school and have a great career there.
It is what it is. We have to be estatic that Franklin and Yurcich have recruited a legit 5 star QB, but with that comes the fact that a team that gets 5 star players that will likely play immediately comes the fact that the players forced to sit longer even though they are senior to the 5 star players will more likely transfer (especially at high profile positions like QB and RB where the starter gets most or all game reps) which requires the staff to backfill each year with more ready to play players to field a top 10-15 team, let alone have the talent and depth to get into the current 4 team playoff.
In this enviroment teams that do manage to work a roster with lower rated players that are willing to develop and play as more mature upper classmen, with great coaching and player development, can probably compete well with teams that do get some high 4 and 5 star players but can't back fill for the attrition that that results in.
JMO.
If Veilleux does go to the portal Franklin will either have to find another QB for the 2023 class, find a pretty good walk on for 2023, or find a QB in the portal that is content to come to PSU and sit behind Allar and possibly Pribula.
Last edited:
Nice throw, no question...what about the other 18? Problem is Clifford doesn't complete long throws, or any others for that matter, consistently enough to threaten opposing D's...that's why they can crowd the LOS to take away running lanes.
You say he doesn't complete any long throws but I just gave you an example of long throws. He clearly can throw the long ball. See:
Also,
Those are beautiful balls.
So either the WR aren't getting open or the play calling isn't conducive to throwing it downfield.
I think Franklin has to play whoever gives you the best chance to beat the Gophers. And then if you win that, Ohio State.
After all, a Big Ten Championship is still a possibility (PSU wins out, Michigan loses to Illinois and OSU). Once a conference championship is out of the question, then you can risk a loss in the hope of a better 2023.
After all, a Big Ten Championship is still a possibility (PSU wins out, Michigan loses to Illinois and OSU). Once a conference championship is out of the question, then you can risk a loss in the hope of a better 2023.
Except he ain't getting sacked 5 times. Even against Michigan, did you see how hard it is to sack this kid? He avoided at least 3 certain sacks that Cliff would have taken.
The amount of people on here who still want Clifford at QB is insane. I really don't understand it. They think 6 years in Cliff is going ti be good all of a sudden?
Allar got sacked multiple times. Clifford was perhaps sacked once. Check your facts.
Wrong. Why do you lie when you can just check the box score.
Because I was at the game and saw it. Also the box score doesn't show who was sacked, only that Michigan had two sacks on the day. I'm pretty sure each was sacked once.
So he was sacked the same number of times as Clifford. While playing much less. So more sacks/snap. So how does that back up your point? SMFH.
"Allar was sacked twice, but the one didn't end up counting because of an offsides."
So you can see how that was my impression from the stands without consulting the play by play (the box score doesn't show who was sacked).
Both QBs were harassed multiple times. Sometimes they avoided a sack by firing the ball out of bounds and sometimes they managed to run for one or two yards. Only looking at the number of sacks does not tell the complete picture.
a) agreed, but you can see how that was my impression from watching the game from the stands.
b) if he was that elusive/strong whatever (as you claim) he wouldn't have been sacked because a guy lined up 2 inches offsides.
Sometimes we agree, sometimes we don’t. This time just admit that you were wrong.
I agree with you that I an not ready to say Allar needs to take over right now - but not because I believe Clifford is going to suddenly take us past OSU and finish regular season 11-1. I don’t want to see Allar hurt. I’d rather see Vielliux (sp?) if Clifford can’t go because of the threat to run and his starting experience.
I wasn't wrong. Allar was sack twice (one more than Clifford), but one was called back by penalty. So I SAW him get sacked two times. That's not being wrong.
I've been wrong. But it's rare. And I definitely wasn't wrong about seeing Allar getting sacked two times (one nullified by penalty).
Even Veilleaux gives us a better chance to win than Clifford.
LOL. He (CV) is fine, but he certainly doesn't give us a better chance to win than Clifford.
I just reviewed Cliff's stats and they aren't great. Middle of the pack passer. His split stats are worse, he's barely a 50% passer in the 2nd half of games. I also degrade his stats a little bit because this is his 4th year starting, 4th, he should be extra efficient by now.
The problem with this, and what many on this board don't understand, is that doesn't mean he shouldn't be starting. It doesn't mean he doesn't give the team the best chance to win their next game.
Therein lies the problem for so many.
Cliff Full Split Stats
Please point out where you have admitted you were wrong and did not try to rationalize it into actually being right.
