Andreas Harbaugh
February 19, 2023 10:00 a.m. ET
Penn State will see a new quarterback as an expected starterDrew Allartakes over this fall. TheSean CliffordExperience was long, but it was one that finally paid off with oneimpressive Rose Bowl victoryin January.
Before those two, though, there's an extensive Penn State quarterback history filled with the good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Unlike a western film, however, things are much cleaner and often less violent, paving the way for a fun throwback to the history of the quarterback position for Penn State. Of course, during the extensive history ofJoe Paterno, his offense looked a certain way and needed a certain passer.
Take a fun look back at the stark contradictions between passers-by from the past to the present.
Paterno Ellis Addie Shuman
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno is calling his Nittany Lions to a practice in Miami, Fla.
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno calls his Nittany Lions to a practice in Miami, Florida on Wednesday, December 26, 1973. The team arrived on Christmas Eve and are training daily in preparation for their Orange Bowl game with Louisiana State University (LSU) on January 1st. Penn State players are Buddy Ellis (18), Walt Addie (23) and Tom Shuman (12). (AP photo)
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John Hufnagel, Ray Hamilton
Penn State All-American quarterback John Hufnagel (16) gets nailed by Oklahoma defensive end Ray Hamilton (96)...
Penn State All-American quarterback John Hufnagel (16) is pinned by Oklahoma defensive end Ray Hamilton (96) for a 10-yard loss on December 31, 1972 at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Charles Kelly)
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sportarchiv
09/16/1978, Columbus, OH, USA; FILEPHOTO; Penn State quarterback Chuck Fusina (14) in action...
09/16/1978, Columbus, OH, USA; FILEPHOTO; Penn State quarterback Chuck Fusina (14) in action against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium during the 1978 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sportarchiv
9.10.1982, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; DATEIFOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions-Quarterback Todd Blackledge (14)…
10/9/1982, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; FILEPHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Todd Blackledge (14) looks to throw against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium during the 1982 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sportarchiv
01.01.1983, New Orleans, LA, USA; DATEIFOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions-Quarterback Todd Blackledge…
01/01/1983, New Orleans, LA, USA; FILEPHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Todd Blackledge (14) under center against the Georgia Bulldogs in the Superdome during the 1983 Sugar Bowl. The Nittany Lions defeated the Bulldogs 27-23 and won the National Championship. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sportarchiv
10/29/1988, Morgantown, WV, USA; FILEPHOTO; Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca (19) in action...
10/29/1988, Morgantown, WV, USA; FILEPHOTO; Penn State quarterback Tony Sacca (19) in action against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field during the 1988 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
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Kerry Collins Penn S
19 NOV 1994: PENN STATE QUARTERBACK KERRY COLLINS ROLLS OUT OF POCKET WHILE SEARCHING FOR…
19 NOV 1994: PENN STATE QUARTERBACK KERRY COLLINS ROLLS OUT OF THE POCKET WHILE THEY LOOK FOR AN OPEN RECEIVER DURING THE NITTANY LIONS 45-17 VICTORY OVER THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS AT BEAVER STADIUM AT UNIVERSITY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA. Mandatory Credit: Rick
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Kerry Collins
January 2, 1995: Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Kerry Collins falls back to pass...
January 2, 1995: Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Kerry Collins falls back to pass during the Rose Bowl against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Penn State won the game 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport
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Wally Richardson
October 5, 1996: Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Wally Richardson scans defense for...
October 5, 1996: Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Wally Richardson scans the defense for an open receiver as he puts his feet up to try during a game in the Lions' 38-7 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, Throwing a Pass.
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2004 NCAA Football: Michigan State bei Penn State
Nov 20, 2004; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions Quarterback No. 7 Zack Mills runs...
Nov 20, 2004; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions Quarterback #7 Zack Mills runs for a 10 yard touchdown against Michigan State in the third quarter at Beaver Stadium. Penn State won 37-13.Mandatory credit/Craig Melvin USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football - Penn State vs. Michigan State - November 19, 2005
Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson (12) is interviewed by ESPN as fans cheer on the win....
Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson (12) is interviewed by ESPN as fans cheer on the win. Penn State won its second Big Ten title on Saturday, November 19, 2005 with a 31-22 win over MSU in East Lansing. (Photo by Domenic Centofanti/Getty Images)
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NCAA 2005 Football: Purdue Boilermakers bei den Penn State Nittany Lions
Oct 29, 2005; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Michael Robinson rushes against…
Oct 29, 2005; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Michael Robinson rushes against Purdue Boilermakers Bobby Iwuchukwu in the third quarter at Beaver Stadium. The quarterback rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown. Mandatory Credit: Craig Melvin/USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2005 by Craig Melvin
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NCAA Football - Outback Bowl - Tennessee gegen Penn State - 1. Januar 2007
Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli battles Tennessee in the Outback Bowl on January 1, 2007 in…
Penn State quarterback Anthony Morelli scrambles against Tennessee in the Outback Bowl January 1, 2007 in Tampa. Penn State won 28-10. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sportarchiv
1 January 2009; Pasadena, CA, USA: DATEIFOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions Quarterback Daryll Clark (17)…
Jan 1, 2009; Pasadena, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Daryll Clark (17) in action against the Southern California Trojans during the 2009 Rose Bowl at the Rose Bowl. The Trojans defeated the Nittany Lions 38-24. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Network
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NCAA Football: USA TODAY Sportarchiv
1 January 2009; Pasadena, CA, USA: DATEIFOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions Quarterback Daryll Clark (17)…
Jan 1, 2009; Pasadena, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Daryll Clark (17) in action against the Southern California Trojans during the 2009 Rose Bowl at the Rose Bowl. The Trojans defeated the Nittany Lions 38-24. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Network
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NCAA Football: Ohio State in Penn State
Oct 27, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Matthew McGloin (11) calls out...
Oct 27, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Matthew McGloin (11) challenges a play at the line of scrimmage against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium during the fourth quarter. Ohio State defeated Penn State 35-23. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: Penn State vs. Syracuse
31. August 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions-Quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) ruft…
Aug 31, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) calls for a play at the line against the Syracuse Orange at MetLife Stadium during the third quarter. Penn State defeated Syracuse 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: Penn State in Wisconsin
Nov 30, 2013; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Bill O'Brien speaks to...
Nov 30, 2013; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Bill O'Brien talks to quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) during the game with the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Penn State defeated Wisconsin 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: Michigan an der Penn State
10/21/2017; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) runs...
10/21/2017; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) runs with the ball while defending Michigan Wolverines defender Khaleke Hudson (7) during the third quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: Pittsburgh an der Penn State
09/09/2017; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) runs...
09/09/2017; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley (9) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Pitt 33-14. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: Rose Bowl-Penn State in Utah
January 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, United States; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) passes the…
January 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, United States; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) passes the ball during the first half in the Rose Bowl against the Utah Utes. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: Rose Bowl-Penn State in Utah
January 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) celebrates in the…
January 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, United States; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) celebrates on the podium after the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Utah Utes in the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA-Fußball: Penn State in Rutgers
19.11.2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions-Quarterback Drew Allar (15) bricht…
11/19/2022; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) breaks a tackle from Rutgers Scarlet Knights linebacker Austin Dean (38) in the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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FAQs
Who is the Best QB in Penn State history? ›
- Michael Robinson. 8 of 10.
- Chuck Fusina. 7 of 10. ...
- Daryll Clark. 6 of 10. ...
- Tom Shuman. 5 of 10. ...
- John Hufnagel. 4 of 10. ...
- Tony Sacca. 3 of 10. ...
- Wally Richardson. 2 of 10. ...
- Chuck Burkhart. 1 of 10. ...
Sacca was Penn State's starting quarterback in 1990 and 1991, and he threw 31 touchdown passes and was intercepted 14 times.
Who were the last Penn State QBS? ›Penn State Football hasn't had many issues knowing who its quarterback was going to be during James Franklin's tenure. First it was Christian Hackenberg in 2014 and 2015 and then Trace McSorley from 2016-18 and lastly Sean Clifford from 2019 to the present.
Who is Penn State 5 star QB? ›SAN ANTONIO - Charlotte (NC) Providence Day School's 247Sports Composite five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis would love to make a college decision in the near future.
Who is the most accurate QB in college history? ›| Rk | Player | School |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Will Rogers* | Mississippi State |
| 2 | Colt Brennan* | Hawaii |
| 3 | Colt McCoy* | Texas |
| 4 | Kellen Moore* | Boise State |
- RB John Cappelletti, 1972-73. For all of the great players to don a Penn State uniform, Cappelletti remains the school's lone Heisman winner to this day. ...
- LB LaVar Arrington, 1997-99. ...
- RB Lenny Moore, 1953-55. ...
- RB Saquon Barkley, 2015-17. ...
- LB Jack Ham, 1968-70.
2000--Rashard Casey
Penn State head coach Joe Paterno started the 2000′s with a flashy dual-threat quarterback in Rashard Casey.
Georgia. Quarterback Todd Blackledge threw for 228 yards and a touchdown to help the 2nd-ranked Nittany Lions defeat the top-ranked Bulldogs 27-23 at the Louisiana Superdome.
Who was Penn State quarterback in 2009? ›Senior quarterback Daryll Clark was 10 of 13 for 123 yards in limited duty for the Blue team against the first-team defense. True freshman Kevin Newsome led the White offense and finished 9 of 13 for 71 yards and one touchdown.
Who was Penn State's quarterback in 2017? ›The team was led on offense by running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Trace McSorley.
Who was Penn State's quarterback in 2008? ›
9 Ohio State Buckeyes. Penn State was eight games removed from a quarterback controversy in which head coach Joe Paterno decided to name then-senior Daryll Clark as the team's starting quarterback over sophomore Pat Devlin.
Who was the quarterback for Penn State when they won the national championship? ›...
Todd Blackledge.
| No. 14 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Quarterback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | February 25, 1961 Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Mike Cooper became the first Black starting varsity quarterback for the Nittany Lions football team in 1970.
Who is the most famous coach at Penn State? ›Joseph Vincent Paterno (/pəˈtɜːrnoʊ/; December 21, 1926 – January 22, 2012), sometimes referred to as JoePa, was an American college football player, athletic director, and coach. He was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1966 to 2011.
Who is Penn State 11 QB? ›Sean Clifford - Football - Penn State Athletics.
Which QB has the best football IQ? ›1. Ryan Fitzpatrick. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick announced his retirement from the NFL in June 2022, after being the starting quarterback for a whopping nine teams – the most in NFL history. But FitzMagic actually graduated from Harvard with a degree in Economics!
Who is least accurate QB of all time? ›Cotton Davidson has the lowest career completion percentage by a quarterback, at 43.9 percent.
Has a QB ever had a perfect game? ›The New England Patriots beat the New York Jets 55-21 in 1978 when Steve Grogan threw his "perfect" game. Grogan completed 15 of his 19 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns.
Who does Penn State hate the most? ›Ohio State
They are designated rivals by conference alignment. Pennsylvania and Ohio are natural born football rivals.
Thirty-four of Penn State's 49 commits/signees, 33 are at least four stars, and four are five stars. Here is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2022-25 classes, including their class years and 247 composite ratings.
Who is Penn State biggest rivalry? ›
Pitt is Penn State's Biggest Rival — Mike Reisman
It's not just some nice game between two schools that happen to be somewhat near each other. It's a rivalry that's been around since 1893, facing two of the state's biggest schools against each other in games that rarely disappoint.
Lion quarterback John Shafer was efficient and both running backs D.J Dozier and Blair Thomas had touchdowns. Penn State had to survive a couple close games down the stretch, including a 2 point win against Maryland where the Lions had to deny the Terps from tying it late on a 2 point conversion.
Who was Penn State's QB in 2016? ›2016 season. With the early departure of quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who was drafted in the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, McSorley and redshirt freshman Tommy Stevens competed for the job. On McSorley's birthday, August 23, 2016, head coach James Franklin announced that McSorley would be the starter.
Who was Penn State quarterback in 1978? ›The team was led on offense by quarterback Chuck Fusina, who would finish the season with 1,859 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. He would go on to win the Maxwell award.
Who was Penn State quarterback in 1982? ›The 1982 Nittany Lions defeated Georgia 27-23 in the season's Sugar Bowl to win the program's first claimed national title. In addition to being coached by the iconic Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lions were led by quarterback Todd Blackledge.
Who was the Penn State quarterback in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl? ›Nittany Lions QB John Shaffer, who finished with only 53 yards passing, scored on a 4-yard run to tie the game at seven before the half. After a scoreless third quarter, Mark Seelig hit a 38-yard field goal to give Miami a 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Who was the Penn State quarterback in 2012? ›Matthew James "Matt" McGloin (born December 2, 1989) is a former American football quarterback. He was the starting quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 2010 to 2012.
Who was Penn State's quarterback in 2013? ›Before the season, Penn State had an open competition to win the starting quarterback position; true freshman Christian Hackenberg started all 12 games for the Nittany Lions.
Who was Penn State's quarterback in 2015? ›Christian Blaize Hackenberg (born February 14, 1995) is a former American football quarterback and current quarterbacks coach for Winslow Township High School. He played college football at Penn State, and was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Is Kenny Pickett the best QB? ›However, his rookie season was promising, and saw him take big leaps as the year went on. In his final QB index, Marc Sessler of Around the NFL ranked Pickett at the 20th best quarterback in the NFL. “Pickett poured it on over the final three weeks,” Sessler said.
Who is Penn State's main quarterback? ›
Sean Burke Clifford (born July 14, 1998) is an American football quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He has been the starting quarterback and team captain for the Nittany Lions since 2019. Clifford returned to Penn State as the starter in 2022.
Is Josh Allen the best QB? ›Josh Allen is the best quarterback in the NFL. The numbers support it. The eye test confirms it. And we'll all be able to enjoy the show into February, with Allen leading to the Bills to their first Super Bowl in nearly three decades.
Who is one of the best QB? ›- 1) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs.
- 2) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills.
- 3) Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals.
- 4) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles.
- 5) Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers.
- 6) Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins.
- 7) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys.
- 1 Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played 13 seasons in the National Football League, primarily with the Atlanta Falcons and the Philadelphia Eagles. ...
- 2 Randall Cunningham Randall W. ...
- 3 Fran Tarkenton.
Kenny Pickett signed a 4 year, $14,067,905 contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including a $7,411,204 signing bonus, $7,411,204 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $3,516,976. In 2023, Pickett will earn a base salary of $1,344,450, while carrying a cap hit of $3,197,251 and a dead cap value of $11,510,104.
Who is the best quaterback? ›- 1) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs. ...
- 2) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills. ...
- 3) Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals. ...
- 4) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles. ...
- 5) Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers. ...
- 6) Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins. ...
- 7) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys.
2000--Rashard Casey
Penn State head coach Joe Paterno started the 2000′s with a flashy dual-threat quarterback in Rashard Casey.
- Aaron Rodgers, Packers.
- Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs.
- Joe Burrow, Bengals.
- Josh Allen, Bills.
- Justin Herbert, Chargers.
- Dak Prescott, Cowboys.
- Matthew Stafford, Rams.
- Matt Ryan, Colts.
Allen has the advantage in total yards, total touchdowns and record over Burrow. Both quarterbacks are tremendous arm talents, but Allen's ability to use his legs to extend plays and be a massive factor in the ground game gives him an element to his game that Burrow doesn't quite have.
Who is better Mahomes or Josh Allen? ›...
Patrick Mahomes may have better raw passing stats, but he's not the better player.
What QB has the strongest arm ever? ›
Dan Marino's cannon has been referred to as a "golden arm." The Miami Dolphins legend rewrote record books by retiring as the NFL's all-time leader in touchdown passes, passing yards, completions and pass attempts. He's undoubtedly one of the best passers the game has ever seen.
What quarterback can throw the farthest? ›The record for longest NFL pass is currently owned by Baker Mayfield, who an astounding 70.5 yard hail mary against the Baltimore Ravens in 2020.
Who is the most efficient QB of all time? ›| 1 | Aaron Rodgers | 104.93 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Steve Young* | 96.81 |
| 3 | Tom Brady | 96.62 |
| 4 | Peyton Manning | 95.71 |
| 5 | Tony Romo | 95.62 |