Penn State’s Struggles Continue
Penn State is facing more challenges as quarterback Drew Allard has been ruled out for the rest of the college football season. Head coach James Franklin made this announcement following the Nittany Lions’ narrow 22-21 defeat against Northwestern in State College, Pennsylvania.
“Drew is done for this year,” Franklin stated bluntly.
Allard, a 21-year-old senior, sustained a foot injury late in the game while playing during a crucial third down. He needed assistance to leave the field and was replaced by backup Ethan Grankmeier, who unfortunately couldn’t convert on a fourth-down attempt shortly thereafter.
After taking a hard hit, Allard remained on the ground in visible pain, clenching his left leg before the training staff helped him off. He was then taken to the locker room for further evaluation.
The specifics of Allard’s injury are still uncertain, but it has effectively ended his college career, as he will lose his NCAA eligibility after this season.
Prior to the injury, Allard had completed 13 of 20 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown during the game.
Wide receiver Devonte Ross, who transferred to Penn State last summer to play alongside Allard, expressed his discontent regarding the situation. “I love Drew,” he said. “It’s unfortunate. Knowing how much football means to him and this team, it’s a tough situation.” Ross added, “It’s hard, but I know the next game is what we have to focus on.”
This season, Penn State now holds a record of 3 wins and 3 losses, with Saturday’s loss marking their third consecutive defeat.
Franklin took responsibility for the team’s struggles, telling the media, “That’s 100 percent my responsibility. We have to fix it, and I’ll fix it.”
In recent games, the Nittany Lions faced defeats against a winless UCLA team and lost to Oregon in a dramatic double overtime.
Franklin reflected on the previous week’s loss, admitting, “We didn’t handle last week’s loss very well. We lost some players in that game, and it felt like everything fell apart. The travel and everything else—we just didn’t have enough energy to start the game.”
