Penn State's James Franklin noncommittal on Drew Allar, Sean Clifford as starting QB

James Franklin always has been committed to his 1-0 weekly mantra.

And he reaffirmed Tuesday, days after a loss to Ohio State all but eliminated Penn State from Big Ten title and College Football Playoff contention, that he will stick with that mentality when choosing his starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Indiana.

The choice is between sixth-year senior Sean Clifford and true freshman Drew Allar.

One faction of the fan base is comfortable with Clifford, the Nittany Lions’ four-year starter, continuing to run the offense for Penn State’s final four games. Another faction is ready to pull the plug, give the keys to Allar and look toward 2023.

“I understand the question. I truly do. But it almost comes off to me, when I’ve gotten that question multiple times, as if this game is not really important,” Franklin said Tuesday, when asked if he’d consider playing Allar more now that Penn State is 6-2 with two Big Ten losses. “… There’s a ton of football left to be played. And whoever’s gonna give us a chance to be 1-0 this week and have a chance to win a bunch of games this year, for all the guys in the locker room, that’s who we’re going to go with.”

Franklin said this isn’t a decision he’s making on his own. He acknowledged he has had conversations with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, as well as team analysts Danny O’Brien and Ken Whisenhunt, the latter of whom has eight years of NFL head coaching experience.

For the last eight weeks, Franklin and his staff have determined that Clifford gives Penn State the best chance to win. Franklin said Clifford’s status on the team as a four-time captain has not factored into the decision to keep starting him.

Clifford has completed 62.8% of his passes for 1,816 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions this year. Most recently, Clifford threw for 371 yards with three touchdowns and four turnovers (three interceptions and a lost fumble) in a defeat to Ohio State. The Nittany Lions led in the fourth quarter but surrendered their advantage thanks in large part to a strip sack on Clifford and the senior’s third INT going for a pick-six.

Franklin said Clifford “played his tail off” against Ohio State. “But obviously there are four to six plays that we have to get rid of,” the coach noted.

Meanwhile, Allar has shown flashes of what he can be in six appearances. He has completed 18 of 31 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Even some of Allar’s incompletions have displayed why the former five-star prospect was held in such high regard and recruited by Power Five programs across the country.

But only Franklin, Penn State’s staff and players have seen Allar’s progress in practice throughout the season. Practice is open to media members for roughly 15 to 20 minutes every Wednesday night, and that’s that.

When asked how Allar has looked, Franklin said:

“He’s a giant human being with a quick release that can get the ball out and make all the throws. He has tremendous arm talent. Some guys that are big, strong-armed guys are not very accurate. He has shown to be accurate. He can throw from different launch points and angles. And for a young kid — and I think Sean’s been a big part of this — I think he’s doing a really good job of preparing.”

So has Allar done enough to see an increased role down the stretch?

Penn State has a 42.3% chance to win all four of its remaining games, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Nittany Lions ought to be favorites against Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers and Michigan State. A 10-2 record would put Penn State in position for a New Year’s Six bowl after going 11-11 over the last two years.

Franklin seems intent on pursuing that success, whereas some supporters would even be OK with losing another game or two if it meant getting Allar ready for 2023. In an ideal world, Franklin hopes he can thread the needle and do both: get to 10-2 this year while also preparing for the future.

“I have a responsibility to the guys in the locker room as well as the coaches to give us the best chance to win as many games as we possibly can,” Franklin said. “What you’d like to do at the same time is getting better and building for your future. And I hope that you can do those two things together. I don’t think they’re exclusive of one another. … There’s a balance between the two.”