Drew Allar injury update: James Franklin talks timeline for Penn State QB

Penn State football is little less than five days away from kickoff against No. 4 Ohio State inside Beaver Stadium. And James Franklin may take all of that time to determine who will start at quarterback, as the Nittany Lions look to evaluate the status of Drew Allar after he exited Saturday night’s 28-13 win over Wisconsin with an injury.

“I think he’s played enough football for us that, that timeline will go all the way up to the game, really,” James Franklin said of Allar in his weekly press conference on Monday. “I do think from a practice perspective, no matter where we’re at on Tuesday, we’re going to have to get both of those guys [Allar and backup quarterback Beau Pribula] reps, Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s too early to tell at this point.

“We’re going to have to have both guys ready. And, you could make the argument all three guys [including Ethan Grunkemeyer] ready, which is challenging to do in a game week. Had some conversations with [quarterbacks coach] Danny [O’Brien] and [offensive coordinator] Andy [Kotelnicki] about that already.

“But I do think Drew has played enough football that it will go all the way up to game time before we make that decision.”

Allar did not return following halftime against Wisconsin after going down awkwardly on a sack with less than 90 seconds remaining in the first half.

In his stead, Pribula went 11-13 for 98 yards with a touchdown and added 28 yards on the ground, helping to lead Penn State football to 21 second-half points and second straight comeback win.

The Nittany Lions enter Saturday as underdogs for the first time this season, with the Buckeyes favored by 4.5 points. Kickoff is set for noon on FOX.

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, community-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 basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on social media.