Sunday Column: The Marketing Matches Made in Heaven Are Limitless for Penn State Athletes

Any quarterback worth his salt knows how to see the whole field. So it should not have been much of a surprise that Penn State’s Sean Clifford – who has been reading defenses for nearly 40 games over the past four years – has been keeping his eye on perhaps the most significant development in collegiate athletics. Clifford recently announced a company he formed, Limitless NIL, that will help his fellow student athletes navigate the still-being-charted waters of name, image, and likeness.

In addition to providing each of its clients with sound financial advice from partner agency Beacon Pointe, the Limitless team also says on its website that it will work with athletes to pair them “with companies that align with (their) brand.” One such example is that of Penn State safety Ji’Ayir “Tig” Brown, who will have his own “Tig Pie” at State College’s Snap Custom Pizza.

That got us thinking about a few hypothetical (but not entirely unrealistic) athlete-sponsor fits that would simply be too good to pass up. You’re welcome, Nittany Lions.

Keyvone Lee, Devyn Ford, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen – Lawn Care Services

OK, so the Lawn Boyz chain might not be as prominent as it was a few years ago, but that’s no reason Penn State’s running backs can’t cash in on some appropriate sponsorships that pay homage to the Beaver Stadium groundkeepers who work to provide them with stout surfaces to run upon. Maybe that’s in the form of local companies like Alex’s Proscape LLC in Lemont or State College Lawn Care, or maybe it’s the big boys, like Lowe’s or John Deere. Never a bad idea to keep your running backs happy, Sean.

Curtis Jacobs, Tyler Elsdon, Jonathan Sutherland – Are U Hungry

Penn State’s linebackers are hungry to perform after a few relatively underwhelming post-Parsons seasons. This State College sandwich shop, popular for late-night eats if not exactly hitting every part of the food pyramid, has a U in the title, as does Linebacker U. This stuff writes itself.

Adisa Isaac, P.J. Mustipher, Demeioun Robinson — Centre Animal Hospital

The defensive line’s “Wild Dogs” moniker might have left town with Sean Spencer, but that unit, thanks to John Scott and some strong overall recruiting, has stayed productive. The Nittany Lions defensive frontmen can focus on maintaining that aggressive attitude while helping domesticated canines in the process … and pick up a little extra cash to spend on their own four-legged friends. Or themselves.

Joey Porter Jr. and Kalen King – Grilled Stickies

Ye Olde College Diner no longer occupies its primo spot in downtown State College, but its famous stickies live on, available for purchase at the Creamery or online. These two Penn State cornerbacks are known for providing – ahem – sticky coverage of opposing receivers. Scoop of ice cream optional.

Any Penn State offensive lineman – Allstate insurance

Anything that reminds the Nittany Lions’ beleaguered big fellas that their primary job is to keep their quarterback feeling like he’s in good hands is a good thing.

Jalen Pickett, Seth Lundy, Myles Dread – Tums

Fourteen of the 31 games the Penn State men’s basketball team played this past season were decided by two possessions or fewer, with two of those contests going into overtime. These veterans (Dread is already one of Clifford’s Limitless clients) will look to lead what will be a much younger squad this coming winter and their fans will likely once again need a few antacids to make it through a full season in the BJC.

Penn State wrestlers – AT&T Wireless

Roman Bravo-Young signed one of Penn State’s earliest and most notable NIL deals last year with Barstool Sports, but the nation’s top wrestling program should think even bigger. Like the wireless conglomerate, Cael Sanderson’s squad is known across the nation and brings people together. AT&T touts a data plan for every budget, and Penn State has a wrestler who will make your life miserable at just about every weight class.

The possibilities, as you can see, are – ahem again – limitless. Whatever Clifford does on the field in his final college season, his greatest impact could be putting his own experiences with NIL to good use and helping others figure out ways to help themselves. And that’s exactly what you want out of a quarterback, isn’t it?