Giger: Clifford is what he is, but talk of going to Allar now just silly

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- I can't believe I have to be the one to defend Sean Clifford, since I've been as critical of him for the past two years as any media member.

And deservedly so.

Clifford is and always has been the epitome of an average college quarterback. Nothing more, nothing less. He has a lot of intangibles such as leadership and character and respect among his teammates, but statistically he's been ... meh.

Here are Clifford's NCAA rankings this season compared to last, and you can see while he has improved in some areas, he's dropped off in others:

2022

Passing efficiency: 58th (143.96)
Points responsible for: Tied 30th (78)
Points responsible for per game: T-32nd (15.6)
Passing TDs: 45th (9)
Passing yards: 72nd (1,030)
Passing yards per game: 81st (206)
Passing yards per completion: 58th (12.12)
Total QBR: 51st (65.2)

2021

Passing efficiency: 74th (134.4)
Points responsible for: 57th (140)
Points responsible for per game: 65th (10.8)
Passing TDs: 36th (21)
Passing yards: 31st (3,107)
Passing yards per game: 41st (239)
Passing yards per completion: 73rd (11.9)
Total QBR: 45th (66.2)

All of this is why I wrote 11 months ago, after the 2021 regular-season finale, that Penn State and Clifford needed to split instead of him coming back for a sixth season. I always felt the Nittany Lions could have found a better quarterback in the transfer portal to be a one-year stopgap to Drew Allar taking over as QB1.

So again, for me to sit here and try to defend Clifford is not something I'm at all comfortable doing. Especially after I just went and researched those mediocre stats above for this season while writing this.

Clifford has warts. Lots of them. And after six years, we know exactly who he is as a quarterback.

OK, so ... gulp ... bear with me as I try to make the case that all of you people calling for Penn State to bench Clifford in favor of Allar are ... well, you're crazy.

It ain't happening, folks. Nor should it. Not yet anyway.

Penn State is 5-0. Ranked No. 10 in the country. There is no team anywhere that would change quarterbacks in that situation.

And absolutely not in the situation the Lions are in right now, with their season coming down to the next three games.

Penn State plays at Michigan in 11 days. The Big House, the largest stadium in the country. Who in their right mind would think that giving a true freshman his first college start in that environment -- against the No. 4 team in the country -- would be a good idea?

Did you know Clifford is actually 2-1 against Michigan?

Did you know Penn State won, with Clifford at QB, the last time it visited the Big House in 2020? And that was with a team that lugged an 0-5 record into that game.

There is one undeniable aspect that even the most vocal Clifford critics surely have to realize here: Clifford gives Penn State its best chance to beat Michigan in 11 days.

If you think Allar gives the team a better chance, I just don't know what to tell you. Because you'd be placing all your eggs in the basket of a true freshman who has never -- not even remotely -- played in anything close to the kind of meaningful situations that the Lions will face against an outstanding Michigan defense.

It's pure folly to believe that, no matter how good of a prospect Allar is or how great he might actually become in his college career. Because he's not ready for that game RIGHT NOW, not after being the backup all season, taking few reps with the first-team offense and having never faced the kind of challenge the Wolverines will present.

Oh man, I just want everyone to know again that it's killing me to have to go bat this strongly for Clifford. But the one area the guy has a gigantic advantage over Allar is that he has played in a whole bunch of these kinds of games throughout his career, and even if we do know what we're going to get from him is average play, that's better than the possibility of Allar going in there and looking every bit like a true freshman by playing poorly.

Yes, I will admit that maybe Allar could go in, play great and provide a big spark. It could happen. And that's what so many fans are hoping for by saying that he should either start or play extensively in the game. But we're talking about an enormous risk-reward differential with the true freshman, whereas with Clifford, it's not as great of a risk.

After Michigan, Penn State hosts Minnesota for a whiteout. That's another huge game, because if it comes after a loss to the Wolverines, we have to worry about the team's focus and letting Michigan beat them twice. James Franklin's teams have had issues with that for years.

I just can't see Franklin choosing that time to make a quarterback change, with the season teetering on turning sharply one way or another. Again, he knows what he's got in Clifford, and Franklin will ride that as long as he can -- as long as Clifford is not playing horribly anyway.

After Minnesota, Ohio State visits Beaver Stadium.

THAT game is the season.

Because even if Penn State loses to Michigan and beats Minnesota, there is still a path to the Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth by beating the Buckeyes.

There is no way, no how that Franklin would bench Clifford and start Allar against Ohio State. Not with that much on the line.

So, there you have it -- a tough three-game stretch that will determine this season. Clifford is gonna continue to be the guy for these three games, and then everything can be re-evaluated after that.

If Penn State loses two of the games, we can have another discussion about whether or not Allar should be QB1.

But for people to be saying the change should happen now? It's just silly.

Even though Clifford is remarkably average, he gives Penn State its best chance to win for the next three games.

No matter how painful it is, you've got to be able to admit that to yourself.