Penn State’s offense has struggled across the first two weeks of the season and the team is 0-2, with an overtime road loss at Indiana and a home loss to Ohio State in a game the Nittany Lions never got within one score of tying after the first quarter.

The frustration is growing in Happy Valley as the program appears headed backward from the land of the great as opposed to up and onward toward the heights of the elite like head coach James Franklin pledged two seasons ago.

Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford fired what appeared to be a motivational salvo across the bow of his teammates during last night’s post-game press conference.

According to Athletic beat writer Audrey Snyder, Clifford said if the two losses haven’t made his teammates mad enough to want to get better, he doesn’t want them around. 

“If you’re not motivated after two losses when your back is against the wall, I don’t want you here,” Clifford said. “I’m not gonna go like that. … That’s not how I operate, that’s not how the people around me operate.”

Clifford has not been a game changer this year, but he has played well. Through two games he is completing nearly 65-percent of his passes and has thrown for six touchdowns, but also three interceptions. His quarterback rating sits at a robust 152.9. 

The Nittany Lions have Maryland at home next week which—assuming they are motivated—appears to be a good opportunity for Penn State to get is first win of the season.