ALTOONA, Pa. -- Quarterbacks are prone to hearing a multitude of different voices starting at the youth levels and continuing all the way to the NFL. At Penn State, head coach James Franklin is doing what he can to make sure those voices are minimal and only come from one person, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.
Yurcich, of course, is new to the program this season taking the offense over from Kirk Ciarocca who was fired after the 2020 season ended. For Franklin, it's important Yurcich has a voice and it's one of the lone ones quarterback Sean Clifford hears from.
"I've done this, you know, all the way back since I first became a head coach, is during team periods, I go to the defensive side of the field for a number of reasons," Franklin said following practice Wednesday. "I want that quarterback to have one voice, one guy talking to him so he's getting a consistent message all the time."
Franklin mentioned consistency multiple times Wednesday which is ironic given there's been four different quarterback coaches and offensive coordinators since Clifford joined the program. The consistency that Yurcich brings to the table is exactly what Clifford and Penn State need at this juncture.
"We want to make sure that there's consistency in what we're coaching and consistency in in in our message," Franklin said. " But that's that's really hasn't changed with with Mike."
It's another voice for Clifford to learn from and so far it seems to be going well.
"I definitely feel like I'm playing a pretty high level. And he's brought a lot of good out of me. Things that I've never, thought I could do," Clifford said. "He's given me a lot of what's the word, opportunities, and given me a lot of chances to prove to him that, he can trust me changing plays and making protection calls."
The biggest thing for Penn State and Clifford is that they build on that relationship and he continues to progress so that 2020 ends up being a fluke rather than a constant.
"I feel like I've done that so far. And he's been happy with how I've been progressing," Clifford said. "I'll never be satisfied with where I'm at, we're only five practices into the fall camp so this is just the beginning. I'm trying to break my ceiling and go even higher each and every day."
Right now, Clifford and Yurcich are pushing each other to get better with each rep and each practice, building their trust and confidence in one another which could wind up taking the Nittany Lions a long way once the regular season begins.
"Coach Yurcich is definitely just pushing me, I guess the best way to say it to a new level," Clifford said. "And he's making me a better version of Sean Clifford, that I feel like the team's happy to see and I'm happy to see myself."
More from Wednesday's availability:
• Franklin on running backs: “I think we have one of the stronger running back rooms in the country,” Franklin said. "We want to play three backs. I think it’s hard to play four."
To figure out who will be in the backfield rotation, Penn State will be having a couple of live scrimmages that will show Franklin who deserves those reps.
• Franklin on safety Jaquan Brisker: “I’m super proud of him,” Franklin said. “I think you guys all know he could have left last year, and came back for a number of reasons, and never really has looked back. He’s had his best three semesters in a row now academically. He doesn’t even have to take a full load of classes this fall to graduate, which is the ideal situation you’d like for all of your seniors, to be able to go under 12 credits which is what the NCAA allows you to do if they’re the last credit you have to take the graduate. So he’s on schedule to do that as well. I’m really proud of him. He’s been a great leader and with the younger players.”
• Keaton Ellis has been added to the safety mix with Ji'Ayir Brown, Brisker, Jonathan Sutherland and Tyler Rudolph. The four other than Brisker are competing for the other starting spot at safety and to back up Brisker. The competition is a good thing according to both Franklin and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter, Jr. who spoke with the media following Franklin Wednesday.
"I think a lot of these guys will be able to play and help us out," Poindexter said. "they're doing a great job of competing with each other, but at the same time, helping each other learn the plays and encouraging each other when the other person's out there."