Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1507572
2 2 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Singleton led the team with 3 scores. That was perfectly fine with Allar. As long as the victory bell rang at the end of 60 minutes, it was all good. "I think we've been really well-bal- anced through the first two games," Al- lar said. "And I think we take pride in that. There will be times when we're going to have to run the ball, and we're going to be able to do that. And sometimes we're going to have to throw the ball, and I think we're going to be able to do that well. "I think it's just [a matter of] really taking advantage of what the defense is going to give us. The defense can't take away everything on the field. That's how football works. They're always going to be giving up something, so we just have to be keen to what they're giving up and just take advantage of that as much as possible." That there is almost always a vulner- ability to exploit is a fact as old as the game itself. And it's a fact that will keep future opposing defensive coordinators up at night. Do you put all your focus into stopping Singleton and Allen and in so doing encourage Allar, his receivers and tight ends to attack you through the air? Or do you prioritize Allar and his receivers and hope that Singleton and Allen aren't able to make the kind of game-changing plays that cause your team to lose? It's an impossible decision. But it's one that Allar and company are now forcing opponents to make. That should make Penn State fans happy, and hopeful, moving forward. "I know we have a tough challenge [ahead]," Allar said. "The Big Ten is one of the best confer- e n ce s i n co l l e ge football, if not the best. We're going to see a lot of different defenses. We're going to see a lot of talented players. "But I think throughout the week, the coaches will get us prepared to play who- ever we have that weekend. They've done that really well the first two weeks, and I'm just looking forward to building off that." ■ Allar has been unfazed by the pressure of the starting quarterback job. He saw extensive action last season, playing in 10 games as Sean Clifford's backup and throwing for 344 yards , to help prepare him for his expanded role in 2023. PHOTO BY FRANK HYATT "Last year, I thought he prepared as if he was the starter, and he's taking it to another level this year. He's doing a great job. I've been impressed with him." J A M E S F R A N K L I N O N A L L A R