Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has shown glimpses of greatness and is capable of much more.
The Nittany Lions‘ signal-caller has the talent and traits turning heads from NFL folks, with his arm strength being a standout quality that excites draft scouts.
However, he has yet to be consistent and put it all together. In his first year as a starter in college football, he passed for less than 3,000 yards and completed less than 60% of his passes.
Pro Football Focus is Bullish on Allar in 2024, listing the standout quarterback as one of the top bounce-back candidates in the nation.
“Allar recorded only 12 big-time throws last season,” Mitch Kaiser points out for PFF. “And he finished the year averaging a very modest 6.7 yards per attempt. His 2.9% big-time throw rate ranked tied 71st among 86 qualifying Power Five quarterbacks … Allar has areas to improve, but he is a better quarterback than his statistics suggest. If head coach James Franklin and new offensive coordinator can build the offense around him, Allar has the potential to live up to his high school hype and rise up draft boards.”
As we know, not much in college football is black and white.
What Drew Allar Must Do to Improve for Penn State Football
Firstly, Allar‘s wide receivers had the most drops in Division 1 football, with an 11% drop rate. We’ve all witnessed quarterbacks struggle, and typically, a reliable receiving group can bail them out.
This was the first area where Allar did not receive any help.
Secondly, an offensive coordinator seemed to keep the aggressive plays locked away from Allar.
There were virtually no schemes to stretch the field, no deep shots—nothing called to utilize Allar’s rocket arm or the speed of the receiving group. Mike Yurcich was fired in Week 10, immediately after Penn State lost to the top-ranked Wolverines by nine points.
Enter Andy Kotelnicki, the explosive, highly productive new offensive coordinator at Penn State.
The entire offseason has been Coach K getting to know his offense, especially his quarterback, and what they can achieve together.
An improved, explosive approach that complements Allar’s skills, combined with an increase in wide receiver production, could completely flip the script heading into the 2024 season and propel Drew Allar to the top.
Allar only needs an increase of 66 yards per game, 8 additional touchdowns, and a 10% improvement in completion percentage to match what the last three Heisman winners have achieved.
If Allar improves his completions by just 5% and the receivers catch 5% more, Allar is there. The touchdowns and yards are a given at this stage.
So don’t be surprised when Drew Allar bounces back and his name is at the top of everyone’s radar in 2024.
MORE: Setting Expectations for Penn State’s Offense in 2024
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He has been recognized for his work as a photographer and has also contributed to various publications including PennLive and The Weather Channel.
Brad is an Air Force veteran, coach and competitive runner that grew up a Nittany Lions fan as his family is originally from the State College area.
His diverse skillset and experiences provide for interesting perspectives on the college football, and sports topics of the day.
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