Drew Allar has the tools, now needs to prove it on the field

As Penn State football turns the page from the Sean Clifford era into the Drew Allar era, expectations and spirits are high in State College. The Nittany Lions are coming off of an 11-2 season in 2022 that concluded with a 14-point win over No. 8 Utah in the Rose Bowl — Penn State’s first Rose Bowl since 1995 and its fourth 11-win season/top-10 finish since 2016.

In 2023, the expectation for Penn State football is that it will be a contender for the Big Ten — perhaps even beating Michigan and Ohio State — as well as the College Football Playoff. So far under James Franklin, PSU has been close to taking the next step; however, has seemingly fallen short all four times.

The hope (and expectation) is that Drew Allar will finally be the Penn State quarterback that brings the Nittany Lions a National Championship for the first time in nearly four decades; he has the tools and potential, but now must prove it on the field.

Allar has the tools

Coming out of high school, Drew Allar was the nation’s No. 32 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle according to 247 Sports. 247 also listed Allar as the No. 3 player in Ohio, and No. 4 quarterback in his class. Additionally, Allar was rated as a 5-star prospect and given a “first round” projection with Josh Allen as his NFL player comparison. Now, heading into the 2023 season, the starting QB job in State College is all Allar’s.

Even though Allar sat behind Sean Clifford throughout the 2022 season, he still got a load of meaningful reps and managed to develop as the season went on. Even when Allar was needed to relieve Sean Clifford for a few snaps in Week 1 at Purdue, it was clear that he could be the most-talented player on the Nittany Lions’ roster.

Drew Allar stands at a whopping 6-foot, 5-inches tall and weighs in at 242 lbs. Allar’s frame and massive arm give him the tools that Penn State needs in order to take the next step unlike Sean Clifford. While Clifford never held the Nittany Lions back, he also never gave PSU the boost it needed to become a Playoff contender.

Drew Allar’s 2022 season sets high expectations in 2023

Despite being Penn State’s backup, Allar saw the field quite a bit last season. During his time as a relief QB for Penn State in 2022, Allar completed 35 of his 60 pass attempts (58.3 percent) for 344 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions.

When Allar came in against Indiana, he comeplted 75 percent of his passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns; he made many impressive throws and propelled Penn State’s second-half offense to a blowout win.

Allar did much of the same against the Ohio Bobcats in the Nittany Lions’ Week 2 blowout win. After getting up big at half, Penn State allowed Allar to close out the game; he completed six of his eight passes for 88 yards and two very impressive touchdown throws.

Throughout the 2022 season, Drew Allar showcased pocket presence, decision-making ability, arm strength, and more; all of this only raises the standard and increases the expectations that Penn State football fans have for him going forward. In 2023, Allar will have his chance to prove whether or not he is worth the hype; we think he can, but only time will tell.