Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
3 4 A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / 2 0 2 4 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / D rew Allar needs no time to con- sider his answer. The Penn State quarterback, set to embark on his junior season with the Nittany Lions in 2024, has a vision in mind for the up- coming campaign. When asked what it looks like, the re- sponse isn't about win totals, national championships or Heisman trophies. Rather, Allar's word choice describes a Penn State offensive operation that cre- ates broad conditions for success. "Smooth and efficient," Allar said, "and as explosive as we can be." The adjectives stand in stark contrast to a 2023 season in which the Nittany Lions enjoyed only intermittent success in those three areas. Allar, a former five- star recruit and the No. 3 quarterback in the 2022 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking, was in his first sea- son at the helm of Penn State's offense. Looking back on it, he recognizes that his performances were integral to those mixed outcomes. Many of Allar's stats were good, and some were excellent. He completed 59.9 percent of his passes (233 of 389) for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns, ty- ing Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa for the Big Ten lead in scoring throws. In addi- tion, his 2 interceptions were the fewest among Big Ten starters, while his pass- ing yardage total and quarterback rating (136.9) both ranked fourth. And yet, reflecting this summer on Allar's season, head coach James Frank- lin acknowledged the need for improve- ment over his debut. "His overall statistics as a first-year starting quarterback were elite. Overall," Franklin said. "Obviously, at a place like Penn State, whether it's me or the start- ing quarterback, it's certain games that you're going to be judged by. When your numbers don't align with those other numbers, people are going to be critical. "He has to take some ownership in that, but so do the players around him. Not any one player is responsible for a win, and not any one player is respon- sible for a loss. But I think we would all admit that we've got to be better in those big games." SMOOTH OPERATOR Drew Allar aims to lead a more efficient Penn State offense in 2024 NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M In his first season as Penn State's starter, Allar tied for the Big Ten lead with 25 touchdown passes. PHOTO BY FRANK HYATT