Sean Clifford Returning to Penn State for a Sixth Year

The three-year starting quarterback and captain will be back for the Nittany Lions in 2022.

Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford announced Friday that he will return for the 2022 season, marking his sixth season of eligibility with the Lions.

Clifford, who will be 24 next year, is a three-year starter and captain for Penn State. He has a chance to break almost every major passing record in school history.

"Penn State is more than football for me," Clifford wrote in a statement on Twitter. "It is family. My teammates, Coach Franklin, the staff and the community have shaped me into the man I am today and I am forever grateful."

We Are… pic.twitter.com/3X7IXL3tRM

— Sean Clifford (@seancliff14) December 10, 2021

Clifford's return boosts a quarterback room that would have been inexperienced had he left. Penn State currently has two other quarterbacks on scholarship (Ta'Quan Roberson and Christian Veilleux) and welcomes two in its 2022 recruiting class, including Drew Allar, who recently was voted as Ohio's Mr. Football.

Veilleux and Roberson have combined for 27 career completions. Veilleux went 15 for 24 for 235 yards and three touchdowns in Penn State's 28-0 win over Rutgers.

Clifford's brother Liam is a freshman receiver with the Lions. The two are playing on the same team for the first time, and Clifford has yet to complete a pass to his brother.

"I could not pass up the chance to be with this family and play the game I love again," Clifford wrote. "The opportunity to play alongside my brother, Liam, and the rest of my brothers on the team made this decision easy."

Earlier this year, Clifford described how eager he was to play on the same team with his brother. (check out the video above) The two spent several months throwing together in 2020 while at home during the early pandemic months. And last winter and spring, Liam texted his brother often with questions about the playbook before he arrived at Penn State.

"We always talked about how great it would be to finally be able to play together on the same team," Clifford said. "And for that to finally be coming true this year, it makes me just so excited."

Clifford, a two-time All-Big Ten honorable-mention selection, achieved some of these milestones this season:

• Has four 300-yard passing games in one year, tied with Matt McGloin, Christian Hackenberg and Trace McSorley for second in Penn State history.
• Ranks third in school history with 19 200-yard passing games.
• Has thrown 20 touchdown passes this season, tied for ninth in school history with Hackenberg.
• Ranks fourth all-time with 247 completions in a season.
• Ranks second all-time in career total yards (8,495).
• Is one of three Penn State players all-time to reach 8,000-plus yards of total offense and one of three quarterbacks to reach 7,500 career passing yards.
• Is one of 13 current FBS quarterbacks with 7,500 passing yards and more than 850 rushing yards in his career.

Penn State meets Arkansas in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 in Tampa.

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