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P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> Clifford said, is always willing to hear suggestions for the offense. So now that Clifford knows his reads, has a handle on protections and has mastered the play- book, he can bring Rahne ideas when he watches film. Clifford fancies Oklahoma's offense, and who wouldn't? The Sooners have led Power Five teams in points per game in each of the past three seasons. Clifford said he feels it's his obligation to analyze offenses like that to see if they contain anything Penn State can use. "It's one of those things where you watch a lot of teams across the country and just kind of get ideas," Clifford said. "So those kind of ideas, if I see something I really like, I might go to Coach Rahne and ask him about it." There was a sense of defiant confidence pouring from Clifford throughout the spring. As the Penn State media machine prodded him over and over again about Stevens' injury and the competition that was ex- pected to ensue in the summer, Clifford said all the right things. But he did so without ever backing down. It was never confrontational. Stevens is one of Clifford's best friends and most important men- tors. Clifford went out of his way to make that clear in a recent interview. In Clifford's mind, as well as Franklin's, competition is healthy, even if the outside distractions that come with it often aren't. The quarterback's priority was to ensure that he was "keeping my mind on the team, being team-oriented the whole time and making sure I'm not only getting myself better, but getting the younger guys better and getting the wide receivers chemistry and also the running backs." If Clifford's mind wasn't ready when he arrived, it is now. He's got a quarterback's arm and a quarterback's makeup, a subtle kind of charisma that, when paired with the ability and willingness to lead and speak out, screams signal-caller. "At least for me," Clifford said, "if I know that I need to say something, or I feel the need to say something, it's not going to be hard for me to say it." ■ KEY PERSONNEL Sean Cli;ord, Michael Johnson Jr., Will Levis, Ta'Quan Roberson, Michael Shuster LOSSES Trace McSorley*, Tommy Stevens RISING STAR The Nittany Lions have four underclassmen and no proven starter. That means almost anyone could be considered a potential rising star. Our choice? How about the guy who goes into preseason camp as the favorite to win the position? That would be Cli;ord, a redshirt sopho- more who is poised to become the team's starter now that Stevens has le= for Mississippi State. BIGGEST LOSS McSorley will be a very di

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