Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 2 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / T H E O F F E N S E / / / / / / / find ways of being creative without in- troducing needless complexity. The third-year PSU coordinator is not starting from scratch. Allar may have yet to make his first start at the college level, but he played in 10 games last season. Serving as a capable backup to Clifford, the Medina, Ohio, native completed 35 of 60 passes for 344 yards and 4 touch- downs. He didn't throw an interception and, according to both Yurcich and head coach James Franklin, Allar's poise was evident throughout the season. Yurcich also liked what he saw of Al- lar's classmate, Beau Pribula. Although Pribula redshirted, it's expected that he will come out of preseason camp with real playing opportunities this year. Starting with their enrollment in Janu- ary 2022, Allar and Pribula will have been through eight "install" periods by the time preseason camp concludes. Armed with that experience, they will be ex- pected to have a firm grasp of what the Nittany Lions want to do and how to ex- ecute it. "When you're through the eighth cycle, you'd like to see some expertise," Yurcich said. "You've got to be careful to not try to reinvent the wheel, but at the same time, you always have to change and you always have to see what's out there and try to develop the offense the best you can. It's always exciting this time of year. "You're still climbing the mountain and you're still trying to find ways to maxi- mize the offense. The scoreboard, it's go- ing to read whatever it reads. As long as we try to become the best we possibly can be and keep that mindset, then you can control things a little bit better, you can manage things a little bit better. "You don't let the emotions get into it. You don't let the psychological effects take hold. You stay grounded and you stay present-minded. That's a big part of it — staying right now. Put your feet in the ground and stay planted." Yurcich and the Penn State coaching staff aren't waiting for the season opener against West Virginia to implement that control, though. They spent the winter, spring and early summer evaluating the offense, assessing its strengths and weak- nesses. Now, with preseason camp set to be- gin, comes the real litmus test — a test that Yurcich said will be as grueling and comprehensive as the staff can make it heading into the 2023 campaign. "You're getting challenged, you're fac- ing difficulties, and you're facing really complex situations," he said. "And really, you're in the crucible in the training. So, if you just trust the training, you feel confi- dent within that. "You do have a quarterback who has playing experience in big games, but you don't truly know. You never know. That's what competition is all about. If you don't like that feeling, if that's some- thing that bothers you, you're probably in the wrong business. This is what it's all about." ■ "You do have a quarterback who has playing experience in big games, but you don't truly know. You never know. That's what competition is all about. If you don't like that feeling, if that's something that bothers you, you're probably in the wrong business." Y U R C I C H