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Yurcich's hesitancy to comment can be easily understood. In a massive step back from his debut as a starter in 2019, Clifford completed only 152 of 251 passes for 1,883 yards and threw nine interceptions against 16 touchdowns. At 60.5 percent for the season, Clifford's completion rate was higher than in 2019, but the turnovers – both the interceptions and a couple of costly fumbles – proved to be brutal daggers to the Nittany Lions' chances through the first five weeks of the sea- son. The issue confronting Yurcich and the Lions' coaching staff is two-fold. First, it's of paramount importance that the staff provide a rapid reset for Clifford, then develop him. The second piece of the equation is identifying a reasonable alternative, either to supplant Clifford outright or, at minimum, provide a des- perately needed push to his development from behind. With Levis and true freshman Micah Bowens having recently transferred, the Nittany Lions have only three scholar- ship quarterbacks on campus this spring. In addition to Clifford, Ta'Quan Roberson enters his third year in the program, while January enrollee Chris- tian Veilleux is getting his first taste of college ball in his first semester at Penn State. Dating back to 2016, when it was still emerging from the NCAA sanctions, Penn State has carried at least four scholarship quarterbacks every season. Now, the staff will be paying very close attention to whatever options emerge in the transfer portal following spring practice. Without immediate eligibility restrictions for transfers, the Nittany Lions could bring in a challenger to Clif- ford or create a bridge in experience be- tween Clifford and Roberson. Without knowing what type of inven- tory will exist in the portal this spring, anything is possible, but Clifford's con- tinuance as the best option appears to be the most likely scenario at present. "We learned that he's a fighter and that he'll never give up," receiver Jahan Dotson said of Clifford at the season's conclusion in December. "We know we have a guy who's never going to give up on us and who's going to fight to the end. It's great to have that, especially in your quarterback leading the team. He's done a phenomenal job coming back in the season, just executing, and that's the biggest thing." If Penn State wants to turn around its weight. Those are things that we can control: where our eyes are, our eye dis- cipline, and our feet discipline. And then on top of that, it's about the individual's accuracy and their talent level." So where do Penn State's current scholarship quarterbacks ;t into that framework? Yurcich declined to make an individual assessment of anyone at quarterback or anywhere on o

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