CFB Zeitgeist Score
7
Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by rush tds at the 39th percentile.
Liam Clifford
Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.
25 REC YDS · 3 REC · 0 REC TD
2026 Outlook
Returning to Penn State for 2026
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Penn State
Returning around him
- 56% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 8 Penn State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -11 net (37 in / 48 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Penn State · Last season: 7-6 (AP #7) · Talent rank #10 · 2026 recruiting class #15
WR · PENN STATE · BIG TEN
Liam Clifford
- 4
- #2
- 6-1 | 206 lb
- Maineville, OH
Heisman Heat
#1610
<1% win probability
Fan Belief
Awaiting
Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.
Respect Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
Reality Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
ACCOLADE PROBABILITY
Heisman
<1%
TOP WR AWARD
Biletnikoff
—
CONSENSUS
All-American
—
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR06 · Starter
Starter. A locked-in starting role.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Development Trajectory · receiving yards
2022–2025-72%
Sharp dropoff (-72%) — career inflection point.
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Penn State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3-star | 0.8785 | No. 535 recruit | HighSchool |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| No transfer portal moves on file for this player. | ||
Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final
Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.
HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16Heisman Futures
Not yet listed on major futures markets.
No achievements unlocked yet this season.
Selector Grid · 2025
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN—
SI—
Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.
NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft
Market value, pedigree & pro outcome
Recruit stars
★★★☆☆
to —
Composite
0.8785
#535 national
Today’s Hot-Take
The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.
Anti-Take
PENDINGThe contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.
The Room on Liam Clifford
Fan sentiment ·
Belief Meter
50
Mixed Sentiment
Top Take
“”
Trajectory
Per-cohort trajectory lands when historical bucket data is aggregated.
Cohort divergence map
- Own fans · n=2
Rival Radar
How rival fanbases talk about Liam Clifford
No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.
Signature Story
Awaiting candidate metric
He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.
Signature Moment
No signature moment on the ledger yet.
Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the receiving totals stand
Through 5g
25Rec yards
3Receptions
0Rec TDs
Per game
5Rec yards
1Receptions
0Rec TDs
Projected (13g)
65Rec yards
8Receptions
0Rec TDs
To hit 700-yard receiver (currently 25): needs 84.4/game over remaining 8.
To hit 1,000-yard receiver (currently 25): needs 121.9/game over remaining 8.
To hit 60-catch season (currently 3): needs 7.1/game over remaining 8.
To hit 80-catch season (currently 3): needs 9.6/game over remaining 8.
To hit 8 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 1/game over remaining 8.
To hit 10 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 1.2/game over remaining 8.
Why the profile pops beyond receiving
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
The most interesting thing about Liam Clifford is that he shows up in multiple game states. He is a receiver first, but the profile also includes designed touches and return-game juice, which means his value is not limited to a conventional route tree.
2025 Season · Final
Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.
Last season
WR season snapshot
2025 season snapshot | final
2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
Receiving weapon against FBS receiving peers.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Receiving
REC
3 27th
YDS
25 20th
YPR
8.3 18th
TD
0 45th
Rushing
CAR
2 53rd
YDS
4 30th
YPC
2.0 28th
TD
0 81st
Returns
PR YDS
6 16th
PR AVG
6.0 36th
RET TD
1 89th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 5 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 3 | W 52-6vs Villanova | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | |
| Wk 6 | L 37-42@ UCLA | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 7 | L 21-22vs Northwestern | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 10 | L 14-38@ Ohio State | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | 13 | Season-high 14 yds |
| Bowl | W 22-10@ Clemson | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | 3 | 25 | 9.0 | 0 | 13 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2022Penn State11-2HC: James Franklin · Run-leaning
2023Penn State10-3HC: James Franklin · Run-leaning
2025Penn State7-6HC: James Franklin · Run-leaning
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Penn State | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | Penn State | 13 | 130 | 10.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2022 | Penn State | 8 | 89 | 11.1 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 3 loaded seasons | 24 | 244 | 10.2 | 0 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Penn State | 2 | 4 | -- | 6 | 1 |
| 2023 | Penn State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Penn State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 3 loaded seasons | 2 | 4 | -- | 6 | 1 |
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
The player's share of a team's passing-game involvement. It is the fastest way to see whether the receiver is a true focal point or more of a complementary piece.
A blended workload view that accounts for catches, designed touches, and any return-game involvement that shapes the overall profile.
Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.
The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving | Receptions | 3 | #811/1110 | 27th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving yards | 25 | #892/1107 | 20th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving TD | 0 | #615/1111 | 45th pct | Scoringvs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Yards / catch | 8.3 | #903/1106 | 18th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS WR |
| Returns | Punt return yards | 6 | #190/224 | 16th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Usage | Pass share | 4.6% | #896/1137 | 21st pct | Air-game usagevs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Rushing yards | 4 | #277/397 | 30th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Carries | 2 | #194/407 | 53rd pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Rushing LONG | 2 | #314/346 | 10th pct | Metricvs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Yards / carry | 2.0 | #283/393 | 28th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Rush TD | 0 | #81/411 | 81st pct | Scoringvs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving LONG | 13 | #899/1105 | 19th pct | Metricvs FBS WR |
| Returns | Punt return avg | 6.0 | #144/222 | 36th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS WR |
| Returns | Punt return TD | 1 | #4/27 | 89th pct | Scoringvs FBS WR |
| Returns | Punt returns | 1 | #182/237 | 24th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Usage | 1st-down usage | 4.0% | #560/1137 | 51st pct | Early-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Standard-down usage | 3.6% | #582/1137 | 49th pct | Base-situation sharevs FBS WR |
| Usage | Role share | 2.9% | #789/1137 | 31st pct | Share of team offensevs FBS WR |
| Usage | 2nd-down usage | 2.5% | #861/1137 | 24th pct | Middle-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | 3rd-down usage | 1.9% | #890/1137 | 22nd pct | Money-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Rush share | 1.6% | #133/1137 | 88th pct | Ground-game usagevs FBS WR |
| Usage | Passing-down usage | 1.3% | #992/1137 | 13th pct | Known-passing sharevs FBS WR |
Player Standing
Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION
On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16
Why he’s here
Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.
What moves him up
What moves him down
Accolade streams
Status—Awaiting tracker
Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.
Splits · Per-game
2025 season · 5 games
Home vs Road
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 0.5 | 5.5 | 11.0 | 0.0 |
| Road3g | 0.7 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins2g | 0.5 | 5.5 | 11.0 | 0.0 |
| Losses3g | 0.7 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-74g | 0.2 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 2.0 | 14.0 | 7.0 | 0.0 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
7Below cohort
Concern: receptions (0th).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Advanced Savant · WR · 2024
Percentile Card
Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.
P4G5All FBS
Advanced Savant
Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.
Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.
Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match
Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile
Liam CliffordPenn StateMichael Jackson IIIPurdue· 55% simJacquon GibsonMassachusetts· 47% simChauncy CobbArkansas State· 45% sim
Rush TDs
Rush yards
Rec TDs
Yards / catch
Long catch
Rec yards
Receptions
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
James Franklin
Pass share
42.0%
339 pass / 469 run
Plays / game
62.2
13 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
7.4%
230 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025
1 coach2022
James Franklin
Penn State
2023
James Franklin
Penn State
2025
James Franklin
Penn State
Played his entire career under James Franklin.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownMaineville, OH
Height6'1"
Weight206 lb
Class4
PositionWR
Jersey2
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamPenn State
ConferenceBig Ten
Joined2025
Career arc5 season(s)
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
No formal honors on the ledger yet
All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.
Honors Timeline
Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.
| Season | Honor | Scope | Team / Selector | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned. | ||||
Heisman By Year
Modeled rank and official finish by season.
| Season | Team | Role | Latest Model | Forecast | Win | Finalist | Official Finish | Points | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Penn State | WR4 | #1610 | #1242 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W16 snapshot | Big Ten |
| 2023 | Penn State | WR4 | #1242 | #916 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W19 snapshot | Big Ten |
| 2022 | Penn State | WR4 | #1258 | #958 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | Big Ten |
| 2021 | Penn State | WR4 | #2821 | #2514 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | Big Ten |
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Penn State | Big Ten | WR | 4 | No. 2 | 6-1 | 206 lb | Maineville, OH |
| 2024 | Penn State | Big Ten | WR | 4 | No. 2 | 6-1 | 206 lb | Maineville, OH |
| 2023 | Penn State | Big Ten | WR | 4 | No. 2 | 6-1 | 206 lb | Maineville, OH |
| 2022 | Penn State | Big Ten | WR | 4 | No. 2 | 6-1 | 206 lb | Maineville, OH |
| 2021 | Penn State | Big Ten | WR | 4 | No. 2 | 6-1 | 206 lb | Maineville, OH |