Andy Kotelnicki assesses Drew Allar’s growth in one year under new Penn State offense

Last December, James Franklin tapped Andy Kotelnicki to come to Happy Valley and attempt to revive a struggling Penn State football offensive unit. Now just a little over 12 months removed from Kotelnicki’s hiring, the Nittany Lions are preparing for a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal matchup and are just two wins away from the National Championship game.

The Nittany Lions have improved in almost every major offensive statistical category this fall compared to 2023, touting rushing, scoring, and total offense metrics that are all among the top 25 nationally. Most notably, Kotelnicki has dramatically improved the offense’s big-play ability, with Penn State ranking fourth in the FBS for explosive play percentage this season.

On the field, much credit can be attributed to quarterback Drew Allar, who has been able to capitalize on the momentum gained after a standout first season as the Nittany Lions’ starter. While the junior’s touchdown-to-interception ratio has dropped slightly, Allar has thrown for nearly 500 more yards on fewer attempts and completions per contest. Kotelnicki has helped Allar dramatically improve his passing efficiency, ranking inside the top 15 after barely cracking the top 60 last fall.

Kotelnicki: Drew Allar running Penn State football offense with a “high level of understanding”

© Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

“There’s a much greater understanding on his side, for sure, of what we’re doing offensively,” Kotelnicki said of Allar’s progress this week. “We’re game planning, obviously, and how fast that can go and how seamless it can be on a week-to-week basis because of where we’re at. His understanding, his mastery of the offense, has grown every week since I’ve been here. Then you get into the season, and that’s continued. He’s at a high level with it.

“We’re always trying to get the quarterbacks involved in things with the game plan; what they like, what they don’t like. Certainly, he’s been doing that. When we put game plans together, he’s real quick to communicate with myself and Coach [Danny] O’Brien about what he sees and what he thinks.

“When your trigger man is involved in that way, and he’s taking ownership in what we’re doing, hopefully it connects at a high level, and you really hope you’re getting a ton of ownership, I guess, is the word I’m looking for. You get a ton of buy-in, you get a ton of execution, you get a ton of reps — you know what I mean? Meaningful reps.

Want to stay up-to-date on all things Penn State football as the Nittany Lions prepare for their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance? Follow us on social media and subscribe to our free newsletter for live news and insights sent directly to your feed!

“We don’t have a lot of what I call “my bads” out there on the field. He knows what’s happening. He knows his reads. He knows what the defense is doing, and he’s just at a high level of understanding right now from where he was 13 months ago.”

There may be plenty of opportunity for Drew Allar to tee off on the Boise State defense in next week’s Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos come into the CFP Quarterfinal ranked No. 109 in passing defense this season. Boise State has allowed over 300 yards passing in four games in 2024.

Kickoff in the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl from Glendale, Arizona, will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on New Year’s Eve.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.