How Penn State Plans to Make Quarterback Sean Clifford 'Bulletproof' in 2021

Dwight Galt, Penn State's veteran strength coach, discusses a new workout plan for Clifford and the QB room's progress this winter.

Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford worked to become more "bulletproof" this offseason, part of a different training program designed specifically for him to thrive in coordinator Mike Yurcich's offense.

Dwight Galt, Penn State's associate athletic director for performance enhancement, discussed Clifford's new workout regimen and the quarterbacks in general during a media chat Thursday. The Lions begin spring practice Monday with three scholarship quarterbacks, including freshman early enrollee Christian Veilleux, who will throw in front of the coaching staff for the first time.

"We don’t have great numbers right now [at quarterback]," Galt said. "But we have great confidence in the guys that we have."

They also have a common denominator, Galt added.

"Obviously the biggest thing going for the quarterbacks is [new offensive coordinator] Mike Yurcich," Galt said. "Mike has come in and taken this offense over in a very emphatic way."

How have Penn State's quarterbacks progressed through winter workouts? Here's what Galt had to say.

On Sean Clifford

"He had an unbelievable winter. He continues to develop his leadership skills. I had him on a totally different program this winter that I think was really what he needed, from continuing to improve his ability to perform on the field physically but also to make sure his body is as bulletproof as possible."

On changing Clifford's winter workout regimen

"Sean has just achieved some really good things in the weight room. He benches 350 [pounds], he’s a 300-pound cleaner [the power clean], he squatted just short of 500. And you guys know my philosophy of training quarterbacks. It's a quarterback-slash-running back. We’ve had great success with our quarterbacks making plays with their legs, and that’s something that’s been near and dear to me. It's not just the traditional, 'watch the shoulder, they’ve got to throw.' I have to make sure that the body can handle any expectation we have on the field.

"So I just kind of took him to the next level. He’s almost 23, he’s got a great foundation. I really wanted to focus on a lot of unilateral, one-leg, one-arm type of things with him for stability. Things like that, not only to help to prevent injury but also to improve his performance. One leg was very close but not quite as strong as the other, so we corrected that. So it’s been kind of a different approach."

On how Clifford has responded

"He works just as hard with his program and is just as aggressive as everybody else. But it’s just more tailored to what he really needed with his training and age and his physical situation."

On redshirt freshman Ta'Quan Roberson

"Ta'Quan has always been one of my favorite guys. He’s a very, very steady, hardworking, positive, count-on type of guy. He really stepped up big time. Having a new coordinator come in has actually been a good situation for him, because he kind of starts off on the same playing field with learning that system as anybody else who would be older than him. So he knows this is a great situation for him."

On true freshman Christian Veilleux

"Christian has been great as well. Obviously, the coaches have not seen him throw yet, so I think that, to be really honest, that’s one of the biggest things that we’re looking forward to on Monday, just seeing Christian throw. He’s worked really hard. Having him here [as an early enrollee] has been a godsend. It's been a great situation to have him and let him get this extra development in."

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