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As Penn State quarterback Drew Allar enters his junior season, the maturation process continues to evolve for the former five-star quarterback. The expectations were high entering the 2023 season for Allar, he was the first five-star quarterback to start for the program since Christian Hackenberg, and it did not help matters when The New York Post predicted Allar would win the Heisman Trophy.
Allar had mixed results in 2023. He did lead Penn State to 10 wins in a season, becoming the ninth first-year Penn State quarterback in program history to accomplish that feat. Allar was among the nation’s leaders in touchdown-to-interception ratio as Allar passed for 25 touchdowns to only 2 interceptions.
On the flipside, Allar was poor in big moments for Penn State. Something Allar spoke about following practice on Aug. 13 at Holuba Hall.
“I kind of dwelled on things when things didn’t go my way, I think I’ve done a better job of learning how to flush that, and then whenever I go back and watch the film, just learning from that," Allar said. "So, I think that’s the biggest thing that we’ve taken a step in as an offense through these past four of five practices. So it’s just been cool to see.”
As Allar continued to field questions from Penn State media, he analogized how the quarterback room is taking more charge of the offense.
“We talk about being a thermostat vs. a thermometer, and I think, as a quarterback room, we’re doing a really good job of that,” Allar said. “When something doesn’t go right, we’re going to get guys back rallied and ready to go and it’s been paying off because in my first two years here, I don’t think we really had that."
Allar’s Big Game ‘Low Temperatures’
In the three games of consequence for Penn State in 2023, against Ohio State, Michigan, and Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl, Allar’s performances were atrocious.
In each of those losses, Allar completed just 45.6 percent of his passes. Allar averaged 185.3 yards per game and each of his 4 touchdown passes were in garbage time, when the game was already decided.
Was all Allar’s fault? Watching each of those games, none of Allar’s receivers got open and simply got dominated. In each of the games, Allar had no windows and the receivers did not win any battles down field. If Allar didn’t connect with star running backs Kaytron Allen or Nicholas Singleton, or tight ends Tyler Warren and Theo Johnson, there was no vertical threat.
Coach K’s New Perspective
While Allar did himself no favors throughout the 2023 season in big moments, Penn State’s offensive staff certainly didn’t have any solutions either. It seemed former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s job was on the line every week. It was during the Michigan game when Penn State was down 24-15 late and the Nittany Lions lined up for a two-point conversion, it was clear it would be Yurcich's last game.
The day after the loss, Yurcich was fired as offensive coordinator.
Penn State head coach James Franklin, through an exhaustive search, was able to land fast riser Andy Kotelnicki from Kansas as offensive coordinator. Kotelnicki might be the highest profile offensive coordinator Franklin has secured since landing Joe Moorhead prior to the 2016 season.
While Kotelnicki hasn’t alluded to an “aha” moment between Allar and himself, he said the perception Allar has matured is a welcoming sign.
“I think what I’ve appreciated the most about Drew is the consistent dialogue between him, Coach (Danny) O’Brien, myself, the other quarterbacks in the room and Coach (James) Franklin," Kotelnicki said of working with Allar this offseason. "Just a question, like ‘Why? What if we do this? What if we just did that?’ It’s curiosity, if you will. Right? Since I first met Drew, he’s got really good football IQ and this really good sense of being a coach in the field. And I’ve appreciated the dialogue.”
.Questions about processes and being better through his progressions will help Allar this season.
Allar Looks to Keep ‘Warm Temperatures’
If Penn State wants to make that big leap in the College Football Playoff, a mature Allar has to be a significant part of the equation. Previously, the first-year starter didn’t handle failure properly. That is a critical part of the maturation of any athlete. How quickly you put that failure in the rearview mirror can be the difference in major moments. To see Allar recognize this is a big win for Penn State.
Allar will be part of a quintet of leaders on the offense this year with Allen, Singleton, Warren and wide receiver Julian Fleming. The dual role of “managing the thermostat” and “setting the temperature” will be key for Penn State to achieve its goals.
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