Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1454229
2 4 M A R C H 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W hen's the last time Penn State fans were as excited about any individ- ual prospect as they are about Ohio na- tive Drew Allar? The Nittany Lions' previous five-star quarterback signee, Christian Hack- enberg, is the easy answer, but the Al- lar hype train may have picked up even more speed than Hackenberg 's did ahead of the 2013 season. A native of Medina, just outside of Akron, Allar made a well-documented rise during the past 12 months to be- come one of the nation's top quarter- back prospects. A little over a year ago, he was a midrange three-star prospect with a handful of solid offers but noth- ing that screamed "five-star player." Allar's connection with Iowa State coach Matt Campbell made the Cy- clones his early favorites. And while Campbell has built a very solid football program in Ames, the Big 12 program is not what many would consider elite. At the beginning of 2021, however, things started to shift, especially after Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich extended an offer on Jan. 30. Within 24 hours, Michigan and Texas A&M had both followed. Nine other Power Five programs of- fered in February, including Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish ultimately proved to be Penn State's top competi- tors, but by the time they had offered at the end of February, Allar was already getting close to a commitment. Many speculated that he would end up taking an unofficial visit to South Bend first. That visit never materialized, however, and Allar committed to Penn State on March 8. "I think one of the main reasons is all the relationships I've built with all the coaches, not just Coach Yurcich. I've talked to so many coaches at Penn State, and I really enjoyed talking to every single one of them," Allar said. "They got to know me off the field and what I like to do when I'm not playing football and just stuff like that. I re- ally appreciate that. It feels more like a family environment than just a straight football program." But that was really only half of Al- lar's story. Following a 16-month dead period that made in-person evaluations difficult, Allar showed the country just how high his potential really is, lighting up multiple camps across the Midwest. Those performances led to an invita- tion to the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles. It was there that he displayed the skill set that would catapult him to the top of the rankings. In August, On3 ranked Allar as its No. 1 quarterback in the country. And dur- ing his senior season at Medina High, he showed that the accolades were jus- tified, throwing for 4,443 yards and 48 touchdowns in 14 games and leading Medina to the Greater Cleveland Con- ference championship for the first time in school history. Medina ultimately fell short of a state championship, losing to Cleveland powerhouse St. Edward in the quarter- finals. But by then, Allar had shown the entire country that he deserved to be ranked among the nation's best. "He's just proof that hard work and dedication really pay off," said Medina head coach Larry Laird. "He has made himself into the prospect that he is. Don't get me wrong, you have to have some natural talent, but his hard work, not only on the field, but in the film room and cultivating relationships with his teammates, is why he is where he is today." Before enrolling at Penn State in Jan- uary, Allar impressed one final time at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio. He earned top-performer honors from Allar's stock skyrocketed after a strong performance on the summer camp circuit, and he followed it up by throwing for 4,443 yards and 48 touchdowns as a senior at Medina (Ohio) High. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER Drew Allar's Meteoric Rise Brightens Penn State's Future RYA N S N Y D E R | S N Y D E R 4 2 0 8 8 @ G M A I L . C O M