Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
3 6 A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / 2 0 2 5 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / "I think we all came back for a reason. Everybody has different personal goals, and I think they all wanted one more go at it together," Allar said. "They had things they wanted to achieve in their careers that maybe they haven't so far, and they want to run it back one more time. "What a great opportunity. … With all the guys returning, I thought we had a really special group. I had that in the back of my mind. There are a lot of things that I wanted to have one more go at and hopefully accomplish this year." The most significant of those goals, for Allar and his teammates, is to bring a national championship to a Penn State community that hasn't celebrated one since before any of the current players were born. But it's just as much perfor- mance-based for Allar. The chance to reshape his body — a process he described as improv- ing both flexibility and mobility, along with overall strength — has been a focal point. Allar said he's been pleased with the results of his winter and summer training, believing that they've posi- tioned him well for the season ahead. "This is the best I've felt in my four years here, both mentally and physi- cally," he said. "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 at since I've been here. It's been subtle changes over time, and it's paid off so far." Taking Ownership Last season, Allar completed 262 of 394 passes for 3,327 yards, with 24 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, yield- ing a quarterback rating of 153.5. Most of those numbers were career-bests, but there's still ample room for improve- ment. NFL analysts noted that Allar sometimes displayed poor footwork and occasionally missed easy throws. What's more, his interception total was a career-high. Even with a completion percentage of 66.5 — the third-best single-season mark ever at Penn State — Allar can still be more accurate. Having brought in help at receiver via the transfer portal, the Nittany Lions are optimistic about the possibilities this fall. Picking up seniors Devonte Ross and Kyron Hudson from prior stops at Troy and USC, respectively, had a positive impact on the Penn State passing game during spring practice. The addition of another receiver, senior Trebor Peña from Syracuse, gave the Li- ons another established player, further boosting the wideout corps. After the way last season concluded, the chance to write a different ending drives everything. Kotelnicki has had a close-up view of how Allar and his teammates have responded. While he rejects some of the clichés about how Quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien helped Allar bounce back from the disappointment of falling to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals last January. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS