Penn State’s Drew Allar Looks to Improve After Disappointing Finish

Drew Allar, the starting quarterback for Penn State, has had a commendable run, with a record of 23-6 during his tenure. He led the team to a Big Ten Championship Game and secured two victories in college football playoffs.

Throughout his two seasons as the starting QB, Allar accumulated over 6,300 passing yards, racking up 53 touchdowns while only throwing 10 interceptions. However, as the saying goes, you’re only as good as your last game.

Unfortunately for Allar, that last game was a tough 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in the CFP semi-finals at the Orange Bowl. In that match, he completed 23 of 12 attempts for 135 yards, but a costly interception in the last 33 seconds opened the door for Notre Dame to secure a game-winning field goal, effectively ending Penn State’s season.

“There’s a lot of unfinished business, and that’s part of why I’m back,” Allar remarked at the Big Ten Media Day.

One area where Allar is focused on improving is his performance against top-tier teams. Over the last two years, he’s faced the top 10 opponents five times but struggled, achieving a completion rate of just 49.3% in those games.

“The primary reason I’m back is to win. It all starts with the Big Ten, but I have bigger goals too. Missing opportunities last year, particularly in those tight games, was a real frustration for me. Still, it was also an eye-opener. I believe I could have stepped up my game during those crucial matches,” he shared.

To tackle this unfinished business, Allar knows he needs to sharpen his throwing capabilities. He’s been particularly strong with short throws, completing 81.2% of passes for under 9 yards. However, when it comes to throws between 10 and 19 yards, he faced challenges, with only a 52.2% completion rate, and four of his eight interceptions occurred in that range.

“All the mistakes I made were correctable; they were really easy to fix. I was often unaware of some habits I had during the season, but now I’m working on those in the offseason. I want to make sure those little errors don’t crop up when the game is on the line,” Allar explained.

Penn State’s head coach, James Franklin, believes Allar has taken significant strides to enhance his gameplay this fall. “He’s improved every year across the board. He’s 6-5, now weighing 235 pounds, capable of making all the throws. Plus, he can use his legs effectively and is keen to develop as a leader,” Franklin noted.

Currently, predictions see Allar as having the fifth-best odds for the Heisman Trophy, while Penn State is considered to have the fourth-best chances for the national championship. This certainly puts a spotlight on both Allar and the team.

With the final college season approaching, Allar’s name is also surfacing in NFL discussions. Many analysts suggest not only a first-round selection for him but also a potential top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. ESPN has even put his chances at around 15%, which is quite promising. That said, there’s still a long way to go before draft day, and he’s mindful of that.

Ultimately, as Penn State makes strides in the postseason, Allar’s draft prospects could become even brighter. His journey begins with improving crucial performance against the toughest teams on their schedule.