It is a modern day tradition dating back to the late 1980s that the outgoing president writes a letter to his successor, a note of advice and encouragement. It’s meant to be a final stage of the transition of power, a nod to what makes American democracy so great. [You can read all of those letters here, although former President Trump did not release his to the public, the only to do so.]
For Penn State football, the transition of the starting quarterback has been an occasionally bumpy road although with far less meaningful implications. Coach James Franklin has watched over three stalwart starting quarterbacks while at Penn State, each finding their way into the role differently. For Christian Hackenberg it was loyalty to program that kept him in State College. For Trace McSorley he made his primary future-is-now debut following Hackenberg’s bowl game injury – Hackenberg declaring for the draft immediately after the game – and a competition between McSorley and Tommy Stevens would lead to that final decision. In the case of now departing starter Sean Clifford, he too etched his name into the depth chart by virtue of a quarterback competition
In his two years at the helm of the program Bill O’Brien never had to really make a call at quarterback, paired with a equally fiery Matt McGloin and gifted the budding talents of Hackenberg. As for his part both by management and longevity, Joe Paterno’s tenure was a litany of changes and locker room dramatics.
Now the change comes again, this time with true freshman Drew Allar a formality away from being Penn State’s fourth primary starter under Franklin. He and fellow freshman Beau Pribula might both tangle in spring camp for the sake of saying there was a competition, but injury would have to befall Allar for this to shake out any differently than everyone expects it to. If history is any guide both Hackenberg and McSorley left their final game at Penn State with an injury – Hackenberg not returning, McSorley seeing the field again – so Allar shouldn’t be shocked if he ends up taking meaningful snaps under a Pasadena sunset.
All the same, there’s a matter of that letter. Political gestures don’t take hold in locker rooms, but there is something to be said for the lessons learned and the goodwill wished to those who come after. So if Clifford were to write that letter, to both Allar and Pribula, what might it say?
“Realistically it’d be a lot of personal stuff but at the same time, I think it’s just being true to who you are,” Clifford said. “They’re all very hard working, and there’s gonna be a lot of critics. There’s gonna be a lot of tough times, probably more tough times and then good times, just because of what people don’t see behind the work. Or behind the Saturdays and the days leading up to it.”
For any shortcomings Clifford may have had during his time at Penn State, working hard certainly wasn’t one of them. There are countless stories of Clifford being among the last to leave the Lasch Building, a testament to the kind of work that goes into being a starting quarterback. Of course that didn’t absolve Clifford of his critics, often with valid observations about his play, but it wasn’t for a lack of work on the six days between games.
As for Allar his hype and status as the program’s elite quarterback prospect will bring a watchful eye by everyone with even peripheral investment in the Nittany Lions’ success. That too will almost certainly result in critics. Then again, one does not become a quarterback to avoid the pressures that come with the most meaningful position in the game.
“The tough practices, the long nights watching tape. Realistically, that’s where you have to fall in love with the process,” Clifford added. “You need to fall in love with the hate, you need to fall in love with realistically – just being a tough sob. And that’s probably what I tell them. It’s just love the process because it’s fun. It’ll make you the man you are that you’ll you’ll become for for right or wrong and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Time will tell how much the Allar era is the missing piece of the puzzle Penn State has been longing for or the most striking indictment of bigger picture issues the program might face between development, game management and institutional support. But in the meanwhile Clifford is wishing his successor well, and in some ways, a better experience than the one he had.
“There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give advice; but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course.” – George HW Bush to Bill Clinton.
