Sean Clifford introduced himself as Penn State’s starting quarterback time and time again over the last four years. His face and voice became a constant during pregame introductions on the Beaver Stadium video board.

But a couple weekends ago offered a twist. Clifford was sitting in the stands ahead of the West Virginia opener when he watched his younger brother, Liam, announce himself as one of Penn State’s starting wide receivers.

It was a full-circle moment for the record-setting Penn State quarterback. And it was “surreal” for the current Nittany Lions wideout.

“Something I’ve always dreamt of,” Liam Clifford said. “Watching Penn State when Sean was here and since I’ve been here, I’ve wanted to be one of those guys that can have his name go up on the board. That’s something everyone always dreams of when they step on campus. It was super cool. And I’m excited to keep it rolling.”

Clifford, a redshirt sophomore from St. Xavier High School (Ohio), has emerged as a reliable member of Penn State’s receiver room. Through spring ball and training camp, he earned the right to start in the slot each of the last two weeks.

Receiver was a question mark this offseason. KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Harrison Wallace III were known commodities. But beyond those two, it was a toss-up who might step up and play a larger role.

Kent State transfer Dante Cephas generated buzz when he committed. Omari Evans seemed to have made in-roads in the spring. Kaden Saunders arrived last year ranked among the top receivers in the 2022 recruiting class. Malick Meiga is a special teams captain and has been around for a few years.

But so far, it’s been Clifford and Florida State transfer Malik McClain occupying that No. 3 role. Lambert-Smith (92) and Wallace (86) have racked up the most snaps among receivers through two games, per Pro Football Focus. Clifford and McClain are tied for third with 48 reps each.

Clifford hasn’t produced any indelible moments yet. He has four catches for 27 yards in Penn State’s first two games, including a 17-yarder against West Virginia. He hasn’t broken through like McClain did with a touchdown against the Mountaineers.

But Clifford is patient. He’s waited for his opportunity to play to arise. And he’s seized it, thanks in large part to his approach and his knowledge of the offense.

“He’s very consistent. He’s the same guy every day,” quarterback Drew Allar said of Clifford last week. “I think that puts him in the best position to go out and know what he’s doing. He has that quarterback background, and obviously Sean being his brother, he knows what the quarterback is thinking. … And people don’t give him credit for how athletic he really is and how explosive he is. That’s shown over the summer with all the work he put in. I always saw him in the building.

“The biggest thing is he’s very consistent as a football player and as an individual. So I think that’s what’s led to all his success so far this season.”

As Allar mentioned, Clifford learning from his older brother has helped his cause. Going back to when they used to play basketball in the driveway together, Clifford said he looks up to Sean — always has, always will.

At times, being known as the quarterback’s younger brother has gotten tiresome, which is fair. But Clifford uses the notion of him as an afterthought as fuel.

“It’s more motivation,” Clifford said, “to make a name for myself.”

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