Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 3 5 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / Q U A R T E R B A C K S / / / / / / / People inside and outside the program tried to lift his spirits. Sa- quon Barkley texted. It meant a lot to Allar to hear from the NFL All- Pro just as the Philadelphia Eagles were getting started on their Su- per Bowl run. Former Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth reached out, too, as did a number of oth- ers, all offering encouragement and support at a time when the quar- terback didn't want to do much of anything besides sit in bed, stare at his phone, or play video games with his roommates. Allar wasn't the only one trying to figure out what to do next. Quar- terbacks coach Danny O'Brien un- derstood that this wasn't the kind of loss that players quickly move on from, especially considering the circumstances of the setback. O'Brien knew that a grace period would be required, but how long should it be? What was the right approach when dealing with a uniquely disappointing outcome in the final game of the season? "It was probably five or six days afterward when we finally watched the game, when it felt like he was ready to put it to bed," O'Brien said. "There are still lessons to learn, like any other game, and we put it to bed. You're not over it in a week. I'm sure if any of us thought about it too much, it would bring back emotions. And that's part of be- ing human and part of playing the game. It means so much. "But after about a week or so, we put it to bed. Then we zoomed out: Here's the whole year. Here are the things to work on. And we went right back to work. But there's no doubt it's going to be in the back of our minds all year." 'What A Great Opportunity' Allar looks back on it now as a pro ductive process, a necessary precursor to the daily grind of the offseason. The itch to get back into football's rhythms — ones that begin anew every January, build- ing toward spring practice, sum- mer workouts and, eventually, the season — proved cathartic. Getting back into a lifting and condition- ing routine made him feel normal again, especially working alongside teammates who shared his motiva- tions. Although Allar had announced his return in December, there was speculation that he might re-evalu- ate his options. He had shot up NFL Draft boards and was being hailed by some experts as a potential first- round pick. In the end, though, he decided he was content with his initial decision and its rationale. Allar had plenty of company. Joining him on an extensive list of veteran players who had opted to come back in 2025 were Singleton and fellow running back Kaytron Allen, offensive linemen Drew Shelton, Nick Dawkins and Nolan Rucci, receiver Liam Clifford, de- fensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, defensive tackle Zane Durant, safety Zakee Wheatley and line- backer Dominic DeLuca. Through- out the Nittany Lions' roster, ex- perienced players had followed through on the opportunity to pur- sue a national championship. "This is the best I've felt in my four years here, both mentally and physically. I'm moving better than I ever have before and also lifting and eating and doing all the necessary things to get better. I'm doing it at the highest level that I've done it since I've been here." A L L A R Allar completed 66.5 percent of his passing attempts last year for 3,327 yards, with 24 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. His passer rating of 153.5 ranked fourth in the Big Ten. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS