Tag: John Hufnagel

Penn State’s all-time single-season 2,000-yard passers

A look at Penn State’s all-time 2,000-yard single-season passers and how the game is changing.

Penn State has a storied history when it comes to running the football, but the newer generation of football and the way the game is played is seeing the quarterbacks begin to have a larger impact on the field. And the stats certainly back that up.

Penn State doesn’t have a long list of passers who have eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark through the air the way some other schools have, but it is more and more expected that a Penn State quarterback will not only pass for 2,000 yards in a season, but go for over 3,000 yards in a single year.

Three quarterbacks in Penn State have history have multiple 2,000-yard seasons but [autotag]Trace McSorley[/autotag] is the only player in school history with multiple 3,000-yard seasons.

Sean Clifford closing in on Penn State all-time passing TD record in 2022

Sean Clifford is looking to catch and pass Trace McSorley for Penn State’s all-time touchdown passing record in 2022.

Penn State quarterback [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] is approaching several records as he enters his final year of eligibility with the program. That includes the school’s all-time passing touchdown record currently held by Clifford’s predecessor [autotag]Trace McSorley[/autotag].

This year is a big year for Penn State football as a whole. James Franklin has a new contract and Sean Clifford is looking to leave a lasting impression. With a successful year under center, the team should be following along with him. The question is where would this leave his legacy?

Historically speaking, Penn State has never been a program that drives its offense through the air, but in recent years the program has been trending in the passing game. Here is an updated look at Penn State’s all-time passing touchdown leaderboard entering the 2022 season with Clifford 15 touchdown passes away from tying McSorley for the school’s career record.

Penn State’s all-time leading passers in Nittany Lions history

Will Sean Clifford become Penn State’s all-time leading passer in 2022?

While Penn State has never been known for it’s quarterback play, the team’s history books appear like they are about to change.

Presently, [autotag]Trace McSorley[/autotag] is the all-time leading passer in program history. Hot on his heels though is present starter Sean Clifford. Clifford is returning for his fourth season as Penn State’s starting quarterback while some fans are eager to see what comes next at the position with Drew Alar on deck. But before that page if slipped, Clifford has a great chance to rewrite some Penn State passing reocrds.

If he can stay healthy, then the all-time passing record should be Clifford’s. Notably, though, there are some surprising names in the team’s all-time passing ranks. Names like Clifford and McSorley are obviously in there but also players like [autotag]Darryl Clark[/autotag], [autotag]Christian Hackenberg[/autotag], and program favorite [autotag]Matt McGloin[/autotag] also make appearances.

While none of them outside of Clifford are still competing, their careers never stray away from Penn State fans. Look now at the team’s top-10 all-time passing rankings entering 2022.

Penn State’s all-time passing TD leaders in Nittany Lions history

What quarterbacks at Penn State have thrown the most TD passes as Nittany Lions?

Penn State isn’t famous for throwing the football all over the field. The Nittany Lions have had their share of strong quarterbacks, just not ones that you think of when it comes to filling up the stat line game after game. However, there have been plenty who have found receivers in the end zone for six points on a number of occasions. Here’s a look at how the Penn State record book shapes up when it comes to quarterbacks throwing for six points.

Last updated on November 6, 2021.

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Penn State’s all-time leading passers in Nittany Lions history

Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford has a chance to be a top-three all-time passer at Penn State in 2021.

Penn State is hardly the first school you may think of when it comes to passing offenses, but the Nittany Lions have had some tremendous players at the wide receiver and quarterback positions over the years. And in more recent years, college football’s evolution to more of a passing game has started to rewrite the Penn State record book when it comes to all-time career passing leaders.

Entering the 2021 season, Sean Clifford is primed to easily make his way into the top 10 on Penn State’s all-time passing list, and he could move into the top three on Penn State’s all-time list, just behind the two quarterbacks who started before him.

Trace McSorley remains the school’s all-time leading passer, having the benefit of three years as a starter in an offensive system that was at the height of its game at the time.

Here is a look at Penn State’s top 20 all-time leading passers, including Clifford’s pursuit of moving up the board this fall.

All data is credited to College Football Reference. This list will be updated accordingly.

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