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

Heading into the 2023 Penn State football season, all eyes are on the Nittany Lions’ rising sophomore QB, Drew Allar.

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Nov 19, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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.

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BREAKING: Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara a top 10 prospect in PA commits to Penn State.

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Oct 19, 2019; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Pat Freiermuth (87) reacts to a touchdown run by quarterback Sean Clifford (14) against the Michigan Wolverines during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY S

The Penn State football team has now gone three straight days a landing a commitment. Brady O’Hara has made his commitment to the Nittany Lions. He is a top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania. The 2025 class has added DJ McClary and Tiqwai Hayes in the past two days. Both players are part of Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class. The impact of the whiteout continues to prove its value on the recruiting trail.

Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara is a four-star recruit in the 2025 class and he plays his high school football at North Catholic High School located in Pittsburgh, PA. He held offers from Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, UConn, and Penn State. Then, on Tuesday morning he announced his commitment to Penn State on his social media channels.

O’Hara is currently ranked as the No. 8 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Brady O’Hara plays both sides of the ball

O’Hara is listed as an athlete on 247sports because he plays both tight end and defensive end. It will be interesting to see what position he will choose to play when he gets on campus. But after watching Tyler Warren and Chop Robinson on Saturday night either position would fit him well.

Either way, he has shown that he can be successful regardless of where he lines up on the field. He can be a great red zone target or a dominant defensive end. Both positions at Penn State have developed well over the years which helped their case land this top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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FOOTBALL

Penn State football players were seeking revenge against Iowa

Revenge was on the mind of several Penn State football players against Iowa on Saturday night.

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Penn State football, Dani Dennis-Sutton, KeAndre Lambert-Smith,James Franklin
Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1) runs after a catch during the first half of a White Out game at Beaver Stadium Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa.

It was the elephant in the room of last week for the Penn State football team. Would revenge be on the minds of players during the Iowa game? Of course, this was produced from the 2021 matchup between Penn State and Iowa. When several Nittany Lions went down with injuries during the game, Iowa fans and members of their coaching staff mocked Penn State. The Hawkeyes special teams coach LeVar Woods even flopped on the ground at one point making fun of the injured players. After the game, we learned that revenge was certainly on the Dani Dennis-Sutton, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, and other’s minds Saturday night. James Franklin reminded the team what message they needed to send Saturday night.

Penn State football players were seeking revenge against Iowa

One of the best parts of college football is what goes around comes around. One year you might beat a team by 30 points and the next you lose to them by 30. But how you act during those wins usually stands out. In Iowa City in 2021, James Franklin and his coaching staff took note of how they were treated. They got their sweet revenge on Saturday night defeating Iowa 31-0.

Audrey Synder of The Athletic recently wrote a piece Penn State football wanted revenge on Iowa. It got that and much more in Whiteout shutoutIn this story, Synder included a quote from sophomore defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton following the Iowa game.

Sutton said, “[Franklin] showed us some of the same things they did in 2021 with the special teams coordinator on the sideline flopping and stuff like that. Their head coach was saying stuff that they smelled a rat or something when some of our guys went down.”

It’s amazing that even a player like Dani Dennis-Sutton who wasn’t on the team in 2021 could find motivation from this. This shows how meaningful the brotherhood of being a Penn State football player truly is.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith also remembered 2021

One of the players who was part of that game in 2021 was WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith. He remembered that game very well. Following the Nittany Lions’ victory on Saturday night, Lambert-Smith spoke about the mindset James Franklin instilled heading into the whiteout game.

Lambert-Smith said, “I would just say we know what was at stake. We knew what happened a few years ago. We just locked in. We put a great week of preparation together.”



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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Penn State QB Drew Allar grades offense’s play through 4 games

QB Drew Allar broke down the good and the bad that he’s seen from the Penn State offense through 4 games this season.

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Sep 23, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) gestures from the line of scrimmage during the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

And just like that, we’re through a third of the college football season. It’s hard to argue that Penn State football isn’t one of the most dominant teams in the sport through four games. A major piece of the success so far in 2023 has been new starting QB Drew Allar. The sophomore has been a rock for Penn State this year, and has led the Nittany Lions’ offense to be one of the most successful in the nation. But what has led to Penn State’s offensive success this season? After the Iowa game, we asked the Penn State QB to break down what he’s seen from his unit so far.

Hope springs eternal for the Nittany Lions’ offense

There’s plenty of optimism around the Penn State offense after four games this year. Most recently, we watched the Nittany Lions dismantle the No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes 31-0 in the White Out Saturday evening. So far, we’ve seen Penn State pick apart secondaries and roll over opponents with the ground game.

Penn State currently leads the Big Ten in scoring and is second to Maryland in total yards. The Nittany Lions have scored at least 30 points in 11 straight games, the longest streak in the nation. Even when it hasn’t looked sharp, the offense has still been able to put up points in bunches. And that is perhaps the most impressive thing about the Penn State offense this year – there’s a wide belief that we haven’t seen the unit peak yet.

Drew Allar leads the way

The catalyst for the offense so far is undoubtedly QB Drew Allar. The 19-year-old has looked like a seasoned veteran despite only making his fourth start Saturday night. He looks in command on the field, and it shows. Allar, who today was named to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list for the nation’s top QB, has 903 yards and 8 touchdowns on a 67% completion rate this year.

Allar’s most impressive stat line, however, is the lack of one. The Penn State QB has yet to turn the ball over this season, something that young first-time starters with rockets for arms are apt to do. Even when he hasn’t been on his A game, Allar has not put the football in harm’s way.

As a result, the rest of the team has followed suit. Penn State football is the only team in the nation that has yet to turn the ball over. This is a stat that will most certainly end at some point, but it speaks to the poise and maturity that Drew Allar has already brought to the field.

Penn State QB grades offense’s play through four games

The Penn State offense has at times looked equal parts lethal and methodical. But most of all, the offense has looked clean and efficient. The Nittany Lions have kept Allar clean (only two sacks allowed) and have avoided the big mistakes. According to Drew Allar, this has been the winning formula thus far.

“I think we’re doing a really good job right now of being efficient and staying on track,” Allar told us after the Iowa game. “We do get into situations where we kind of hurt ourselves with penalties. And I think we’ll continue to learn and grow from those mistakes that we make. But I think we’re doing a really good job right now just taking what the defense has given us, taking care of the ball, which is the biggest thing for the offense, and controlling the ball. So, I think we’re just doing a really good job of being very efficient.”

But now, the tape on the Nittany Lion offense grows by the game. If Penn State football is to continue riding the wave and reach its goals for this season, the offense must continue to evolve. After all, the slate won’t get any easier, and the biggest challenges still lie ahead.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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