Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1507572
O C T O B E R 2 0 2 3 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M For much of its football history, Penn State has been known for its com- mitment to the running game. But even so, the Nittany Lions have pro- duced their share of outstanding quarterbacks. They've also produced their share of outstanding quarterback debuts. Indeed, the hardest part of compiling a top five was figuring out which debuts to leave out. For instance, Kerry Collins didn't make the cut even though he threw for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns on the road at West Virginia in 1992. Nor did Michael Robinson, even though he passed for 379 yards, the second-highest single-game total in school history at the time, against Wisconsin in 2003. Collins brought home a 40-26 victory from Morgantown, while Robinson and his teammates fell 30-23 at home to the Badgers. Here's a look at BWI's top five: 1. Drew Allar vs. West Virginia, 2023 Recency bias, you say? Maybe so. But Allar was simply electrifying against the Mountaineers from his very first possession as Penn State's starting quarterback. That possession ended with a 72-yard touchdown pass to junior KeAndre Lambert-Smith, a play that prompted NBC play-by- play man Noah Eagle to exclaim, "Welcome to the Drew Allar era." The Allar era will continue at least through the 2024 season, but regard- less of its ultimate duration, Penn State fans will always have fond memo- ries of how it began. The strong-armed sophomore completed 21 of 29 passes for 325 yards and 3 touchdowns in PSU's first meeting with West Virginia since 1992 — 12 years before Allar was born. 2. Zack Mills vs. Ohio State, 2001 Penn State had lost four of its first five games in 2001 when Mills, a red- shirt freshman, was called on to replace an ineffective Matt Seneca. He got his first start against Ohio State on Oct. 27, and he responded by complet- ing 17 of 32 passes for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had a 69-yard TD run to help Penn State erase a 27-9 Buckeye lead in the second half. The Lions prevailed 29-27, establishing Mills as their full-time starter while also moving Joe Paterno past Bear Bryant into first place among major-college coaches with 324 career wins. If not for his 3 interceptions, Mills would probably be at the top of this list. It was a historic afternoon at Beaver Stadium. 3. Mike McQueary vs. Pitt, 1997 A senior at the time, McQueary wasn't exactly untested when he took command of the offense for the No. 1-ranked Nittany Lions heading into the '97 season. The State College native had seen extensive action in relief of Wally Richardson the previous year and was a fan favorite because of his local ties. But none of his previous appearances had prepared those fans for his starting debut in Penn State's opener against Pitt. Facing an eight-man front aimed at shutting down star running back Curtis Enis, McQueary competed 21 of 36 passes for 366 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception. His passing yardage total broke Todd Blackledge's 16-year-old school record, even though McQueary sat out most of the fourth quarter with Penn State on its way to a 34-17 victory. 4. Christian Hackenberg vs. Syracuse, 2013 Hackenberg wasn't an early enrollee. In fact, the heralded five-star quar- terback prospect didn't arrive on Penn State's campus until just before the start of his first preseason camp. That accelerated timeline is what makes his performance against Syra- cuse so impressive. The only quarterback on this list who was playing in his first collegiate game when he made his debut, Hackenberg completed 22 of 31 passes for 278 yards, with 2 touchdown throws and a couple of inter- ceptions in a 23-17 victory to open the 2013 season. "He's a talented guy," coach Bill O'Brien said following the game, which took place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. "But he's got a long way to go. It's one game. He made some nice throws, he made some mistakes. I made some bad play calls that put him in some bad situations, but we'll just keep learning from each other. He's a fun guy to coach." 5. Todd Blackledge vs. Missouri, 1980 Two years before leading Penn State to a national championship, Black- ledge offered the nation a sneak preview of what was to come when he was named the starter ahead of an Oct. 4 visit to No. 9 Missouri. The Lions were eight-point underdogs in Columbia, but their redshirt freshman quarterback threw for a touchdown and had 2 additional scores on the ground, including a 43-yard dash in the fourth quarter that helped Penn State pull off a 29-21 road upset. Blackledge's numbers — 9 comple- tions in 19 attempts for 90 yards, plus 48 rushing yards on 13 carries — were modest, but his poised leadership helped PSU turn its season around after a 21-7 loss to Nebraska the week before. "I think their quarterback came of age today," Missouri coach Warren Powers said. "He's going to get better — much better." — Matt Herb Top Five Penn State Quarterback Debuts Todd Blackledge ran for two scores and threw for another in a road victory against ninth-ranked Missouri in 1980. PHOTO COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS