Todd Blackledge: Penn State football, Drew Allar ‘different’ in 2024

Penn State football has benefitted from chaos across the country through the first nine weeks of 2024, ascending to become the third-ranked team in the national polls and holding its Big Ten title and College Football Playoff fate in its hands. Coming out of the season’s second bye, the Nittany Lions face what will likely become the year’s defining stretch with a road test at Wisconsin and a home date with Ohio State in the coming weeks.

A spot where the program has often stumbled in the last decade, Penn State football letterman Todd Blackledge thinks he’s seen something unique about the Nittany Lions so far in 2024. Speaking to Greg McElroy on his podcast Always College Football, the National Championship-winning quarterback for the Blue and White and NBC Big Ten Saturday Night commentator believes the change is rooted in the development of quarterback Drew Allar.

“I think it is [a different year for Penn State]. I think Drew is a different quarterback,” said Blackledge, who is covering his second Nittany Lions’ game of the season on Saturday night against the Badgers. “I think last year — I mean, he had good numbers last year, but I think in a lot of ways he was playing not to lose a game. Not taking chances, not pushing the ball downfield.

“I think this year he’s been much more aggressive. I think he’s playing with a lot more freedom under Andy Kotelnicki. He’s actually thrown more interceptions this year already than he did all of last year, which is fine because I think he’s making more big plays too.

“They definitely have more explosive plays in the passing game than they had last year. That was the biggest thing that showed up when they played better competition; they had no explosive play ability. I think they have that now.”

A new year for the Penn State offense

© Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

Drew Allar has thrown for 1,492 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions through six games this season. He ranks in the top ten nationally for passing yards per completion (9th) and passing efficiency (6th).

The Nittany Lions come into Saturday night ranked as the No. 10 offense in the country, averaging 471 yards per game. Under Kotelnicki’s new system, Penn State ranks in the top 30 in all purely offensive statistics. Most notably, Andy Kotelnicki has the Nittany Lions leading the Big Ten and ranked second nationally in explosive play percentage.

Kickoff in Madison is set for 7:30 on NBC.

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