Apparently award watch list season is not over as Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford was named to The Manning Award Watch List on Thursday. The list includes 30 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2020 season.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting.
The winner will be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the bowls.
Clifford has appeared in 16 games, making 12 starts at quarterback and was selected All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media in 2019.
He finished last season ranked third in the Big Ten in 2019 in passing touchdowns (23; 32nd in the FBS), yards per completion (14.04; 18th) and yards per pass attempt (8.32; 22nd), was fourth in in passing efficiency (148.54; 26th) and was seventh in passing yardage (2,654).
In addition, Clifford was third in the conference in points responsible for per game (14.3; 29th in the FBS) and fourth in total yards per game (254.7; 43rd) in 2019.
Some career standout moments include when Clifford threw for 398 yards at Maryland (9/27/19), the third-most in a game at Penn State, trailing only Christian Hackenberg (454; vs. UCF, 2014) and Zack Mills (399; vs. Iowa, 2002). Clifford also threw for 340 yards at Minnesota (11/9/19), tied for the 16th-most in a game at Penn State.
Penn State on 2020 Watch Lists
Bednarik Award: Micah Parsons
Biletnikoff Award: Pat Freiermuth
Butkus Award: Micah Parsons
Doak Walker Award: Journey Brown, Noah Cain
Hornung Award: Journey Brown
Lott IMPACT Trophy: Micah Parsons
Lou Groza Award: Jake Pinegar
Mackey Award: Pat Freiermuth
Manning Award: Sean Clifford
Maxwell Award: Journey Brown, Micah Parsons
Nagurski Trophy: Micah Parsons, Shaka Toney
O’Brien Award: Sean Clifford
Thorpe Award: Lamont Wade
Wuerffel Trophy: Sean Clifford