Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1480138
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 3 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M following week against Ohio, the coaches put Allar on the field early in the third quarter because he had earned the op- portunity and needed the game reps. He went on to complete 6 of 8 attempts with 2 touchdowns in the second half of a 46- 10 win, then followed it with a 2-for-2 passing performance for 29 yards in the victory at Auburn. Through four games, Allar had com- pleted 12 of 19 passes for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns. Given how badly Penn State struggled last season when Clifford got hurt at Iowa, it's understandable that the coaching staff would be fixated on ensuring that Allar gets as many reps as possible this season — both as a short-term insurance policy in case of another injury, and as a long- term benefit that will likely pay dividends when Clifford leaves after the season. "[Allar] needs to gain as much experi- ence as possible. It's fairly unusual, es- pecially with the type of schedule that we have played, that he's been able to play in every game," Franklin said. "There's a ton of value from that. More than anything, it's just practice reps and game reps and experience." With a less convoluted path to the field, Carter has steadily seen his game reps in- crease week to week. At Purdue, he was ejected for targeting on his very first de- fensive snap, but since then his progres- sion has been exponential and impactful. Returning to action against Ohio, Carter backed up the summer buzz he had generated. As the new owner of Penn State's fabled No. 11 jersey — the same one worn by past PSU greats LaVar Arrington, NaVorro Bowman and Micah Parsons — Carter showed that he's a special pros- pect. He was described by Franklin as "freakishly fast, freakishly strong" and having a body that isn't like "normal high school linebackers coming in." Carter has backed up the hype with his play. Against the Bobcats, he was second on the defense with 5 tackles, and he had a team-high 6 at Auburn including an 11- yard sack of backup quarterback Robby Ashford in the third quarter. Throw in a forced fumble and a pass breakup, and his early-season stat sheet might have exceeded even the most hopeful expecta- tions for the start of his career. "He flashes," Franklin said. "We've been excited about him. He's so mature, picking things up quickly. He's fast, he's aggressive. "There's something about that No. 11 [jersey]. I'm not sure, but it's had a lot of success here at Penn State. And I'm glad for the lettermen who wore it before that he's representing it the right way. Hope- fully, we'll continue to build on this with him." Heated Competition That hope extends to the rest of Penn State's highly touted 2022 recruiting class. The coaching staff is expecting its newest players to continue their strong perfor- mances and increase the talent level at positions throughout the depth chart. The team's internal competition has been as fierce as anything taking place on game days, which means that the staff has had to make tough decisions about playing time. In some cases, the rapid improve- ment of a younger player has caused expe- rienced teammates to take less-prominent roles. One of Franklin's priorities has been to ensure that every player feels valued, no matter how much playing time he's receiving from week to week. "We're going to need every player on our roster. We're going to need every player in that locker room. All of their roles are critical for our success," the coach said. "Some guys' roles are going to increase as the year goes on. Some guys' roles are going to decrease as the year goes on. Some guys are going to stay the same. "That's the balancing act of being able to manage all of that. That's one of the jobs of the head football coach, right? It's to manage all of the personalities and egos that we have, and that is players as well as staff. It's not always a fun job, but it's a big part of what we do and how we do it. Ultimately, we have to do what's best for the team." ■ Linebacker Abdul Carter has been impressing the PSU coaching staff since his arrival on campus earlier this year. Although he didn't start the game, he finished second on the defense with 5 tackles against Ohio. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE