Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1528325
3 6 N O V E M B E R 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 T he Penn State offense started out slow in an odd way against USC. The Nittany Lions marched down the field twice in the first half yet failed to score a touchdown in either situation, settling for field goals on both drives. That led to a 20-6 deficit at halftime, thanks to some explosive plays by the Trojans. The second half was a different story. Penn State scored 24 points, rallying to tie the score late in the fourth quarter and eventually win the game in over- time, 33-30, on a 36-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Ryan Barker. It was an impressive comeback, and the ap- proach that PSU took to get its offense moving could define the season. The Lions had opened the game with a decidedly conservative game plan. They saw USC's soft zone coverages and wanted to target the underneath players in catch-and-run situations. Instead of throwing into the teeth of the defense, they tried to make USC pay for allowing easy-access throws. On top of that, they used screens and option plays to bite at the edges of the defense. Of the seven screen passes that Penn State called against the Trojans, four were in the first half. To a point, the approach was effec- tive. Penn State moved the ball, with 200 yards in the first half, but a frus- trating and disjointed performance was not what most fans expected. Additionally, Penn State called a higher number of runs to the outside of the formation than anticipated. The re- sults were not exceptional. Junior run- ning backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton averaged 0.7 and 1.6 yards before contact in the first half. That's well below the 1.6 and 3.5 yards before contact they averaged coming into the game. Penn State flipped the script in the second half. Instead of biting at the edges of the defense and trying to play underneath, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki began calling plays that pushed the ball down the field. It's something the Penn State offense has been good at for most of this season. Ju- nior quarterback Drew Allar came out of halftime unleashed. Head coach James Franklin signaled that this would be the plan heading into halftime when talking to the CBS crew on his way off the field. "We need a few explosive plays, there's no doubt about that," Franklin said going into halftime. "We'll do that in the second half." The results were apparent, and they were clear from Allar's average depth of target. In the first half, his target depth was just 4.5 yards downfield. In the sec- ond half, that average ballooned to 12.3 yards. The latter number is much more in line with what Penn State wants to do each week. The Lions tried a new approach in the first half and then reverted to a familiar style in the second. Instead of target- ing players underneath the coverage umbrella, they started throwing the ball over the linebackers. For two years now, we've pointed out how Allar's mind works differently from most college quarterbacks, even the good ones. His ability to process information post-snap and relate that spatially to where his receivers are on the field is a special skill. However, this trait got him in trouble twice during the USC game. He threw to a backside read quickly without confirming the picture was what he ex- pected and ended up putting the ball in the hands of a Trojan defender. Fortunately for Penn State, Allar didn't shy away from these plays after his mistakes. In the past, the former five-star quarterback might have re- treated into a conservative shell of himself and played it safe. But this is 2024, and Allar kept throwing. That mental and technical perseverance led to the team's game-defining drive in the fourth quarter, a 75-yard march in which the junior quarterback converted two times on fourth-and-long to keep hope alive for Penn State. Allar had to be on-point, because Penn State struggled to run the ball be- tween the tackles against USC. It was one of the few poor performances by the offensive line this season. Both redshirt senior center Nick Dawkins and super senior right guard Sal Wormley had dif- ficulty securing blocks and expanding gaps in run-blocking situations. With redshirt freshman right tackle Anthony Donkoh hindered by a shoulder injury, it didn't turn out to be the day that many expected on the ground. But Penn State has more than one way to win this year, and it's largely because of the evolution its quarterback has un- dergone. They might not run the table this year, but if Allar keeps playing like he did against USC, the Lions will have a chance in every game. ■ O P I N I O N THOMAS FRANK CARR T F R A N K .C A R R @ O N 3 .C O M Drew Allar's Performance At USC Shows Lions' Versatility Allar (with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki above) threw for 391 yards to lift the Nittany Lions past USC, 33-30, in overtime. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS UPON FURTHER REVIEW