Best Analysis I've seen so far on what's wrong with Allar

BCS PSU

Sophomore
Jun 2, 2001
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Just watch. It's only 10 minutes of your day and the tape doesn't lie. There were plays to be made and they weren't made.


It’s so frustrating to watch a qb who has started almost 35 games and played in some of the biggest games in those seasons have such poor field awareness and inability to hit open receivers. The receivers in those videos were wide open by college standards, and those should’ve been automatic completions.

I still don’t understand what we’re trying to accomplish on offense, but coaching only can be blamed so much. It’s obvious that the qb simply is not executing even rudimentary plays well.
 

MacNit

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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It’s so frustrating to watch a qb who has started almost 35 games and played in some of the biggest games in those seasons have such poor field awareness and inability to hit open receivers. The receivers in those videos were wide open by college standards, and those should’ve been automatic completions.

I still don’t understand what we’re trying to accomplish on offense, but coaching only can be blamed so much. It’s obvious that the qb simply is not executing even rudimentary plays well.
Who recruited and keeps playing the QB?
 

Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
10,810
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It’s so frustrating to watch a qb who has started almost 35 games and played in some of the biggest games in those seasons have such poor field awareness and inability to hit open receivers. The receivers in those videos were wide open by college standards, and those should’ve been automatic completions.

I still don’t understand what we’re trying to accomplish on offense, but coaching only can be blamed so much. It’s obvious that the qb simply is not executing even rudimentary plays well.

Max Browne did a nice job. Me watching the tape:

Angry Ron Swanson GIF
 
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Nittering Nabob

All-Conference
Sep 17, 2024
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It’s so frustrating to watch a qb who has started almost 35 games and played in some of the biggest games in those seasons have such poor field awareness and inability to hit open receivers. The receivers in those videos were wide open by college standards, and those should’ve been automatic completions.

I still don’t understand what we’re trying to accomplish on offense, but coaching only can be blamed so much. It’s obvious that the qb simply is not executing even rudimentary plays well.
It’s incumbent on good coaches to make difficult decisions.
 

KingLando

Senior
Nov 29, 2021
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Did you all watch the video?
The first play he broke down was the only one in which there was someone open
The third play is what's wrong with the offense--Drew should never be running a pitch option
The entire point of the video is that we can't protect or establish the run which is preventing Allar from having success
Watch the last 2 minutes again and listen
Literally said "didn't play bad"
 
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donboy6499

Freshman
Jun 9, 2025
53
79
18
Did you all watch the video?
The first play he broke down was the only one in which there was someone open
The third play is what's wrong with the offense--Drew should never be running a pitch option
The entire point of the video is that we can protect or establish the run which is preventing Allar from having success
Watch the last 2 minutes again and listen
Literally said "didn't play bad"
If we want to make that an “it’s wholly on the staff” discussion, I’m into that and don’t disagree.
 

Moogy

All-Conference
Jul 28, 2017
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Just watch. It's only 10 minutes of your day and the tape doesn't lie. There were plays to be made and they weren't made.



The portion going over the data ... that was great to see that. Of course, that's the results, and doesn't say how/why the bad results are happening, but still good stuff.

But when he gets into the video review, he's real bad at analyzing. First play ... Allar may or may not have missed guys. This isn't as straightforward as "there was a guy open" ... he has progressions. He has reads. So that one guy (TE, I believe) that he said was open ... kinda ... but he may have seen the defense beforehand and read that that route would be covered ... notice the defender underneath. Probably saw him presnap, and figured that route was taken away over and under. As is, it was a tough throw to fit it over a defender and in front of another, depending on where he expected the receiver to cut. Coulda been picked in front or from behind.

The second play, however, this guy is clueless. He talks about how you would expect Oregon to respect the run game and flow to Singleton, and then claims they don't. Except, they do. Everyone flows that way. HARD. It's the EXACT opposite of what the analyst is claiming. It's just that the one DE or LB on the outside is able to course correct and track Allar down. If you look at the routes ... THIS is what I've been complaining about for Kotelnicki's tenure, dating back to last year. You see all that COMPLETELY empty space in front of Allar? A receiver should be there, fairly earl. Instead, they set the play up so that 2 guys run almost side by side into the heart of the defensive secondary, where 3 guys have the area covered. WTF? And they run downfield like that, and the TE finally cuts, but they're still VERY near each other for far too long, and the TE drifts backward. Makes zero sense. This happens all too often ... long routes, all bunched up. Sometimes receivers run into each other, or nearly do. That receiver should be bolting downfield to clear out defenders, that TE should be cutting across the field earlier and shallower. And Singleton should be doing a wheel route down the opposite side of the field (notice ALL that room as the far receiver has cleared that area out). You give Allar downfield options (if the secondary doesn't follow the receivers downfield) .. you give him a quick TE on LB man option to where he's rolling out, and you give him a backside option on the wheel.

This isn't difficult.

3rd play he shows is a run play ... Dinkins great block ... first lineman through, great block ... 66 (Shelton) coming up behind, should be trucking downfield, clearing the road ... instead he peels off to the side, where both defenders are annihilated and stands there doing nothing as a defender comes up to make the tackle. 66 leads the way and gets any piece of that guy, or just impedes his progress, and Singleton likely breaks that huge.

4th play where Drew keeps it ... yeah, that may have been a mistake ... usually that's determined by a pre-snap read, but I can't tell what Drew was seeing, as the video starts after that. During the play, it's obvious that defender has a bead on him and Singleton is open for yards, but not sure if the play was predetermined before that (or Allar could have misread, regardless).

So, all this guy showed, re Allar's woes, is a possible/likely mess up on a read-option.
 

KingLando

Senior
Nov 29, 2021
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I read at a genius level. Going to answer the question, Handleman??
You asked a question that doesn't make sense because you're, as always, using words I didn't.
Watch the video provided. Allar "wasn't bad"--he's not the problem. Any sane person that understands football would grasps that but alas I'm stuck talking to people like you that just yell about the QB
 

rudedude

Heisman
Sep 28, 2002
7,643
14,924
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Hack and Cabinda provide good analysis. Hack mentions play action would have worked because Oregon was sending safeties downhill to stop the run.
 
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cjrugger

All-Conference
Dec 13, 2017
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It doesn't have to be binary

a) the gameplan sucked
b) Drew didn't play well overall and missed some of the opportunities that were there (also, all qb's miss opportunities)
c) AK has done a terrible job adapting his scheme to the personnel

Hopefully Saturday was a wake up call and some of the 3 above get fixed moving forward
 

donaldfair71

Junior
Jul 4, 2005
330
315
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It doesn't have to be binary

a) the gameplan sucked
b) Drew didn't play well overall and missed some of the opportunities that were there (also, all qb's miss opportunities)
c) AK has done a terrible job adapting his scheme to the personnel

Hopefully Saturday was a wake up call and some of the 3 above get fixed moving forward
All true, but I keep going back to this (and I acknowledge it is beating a dead horse), but:

a. The gameplans have now sucked for 4 coordinators.
b. Penn State hasn't gotten good, let alone great, let alone elite, QB play in consecutive games since Trace. For every random Sean Clifford show out in Columbus in 2021, there was Illinois.
c. Rickey Rahne Kirk Ciarrocca Mike Yurcich Andy Kotelnicki has done a terrible job adapting scheme to personnel.

Now we have a HC who is BENT, not on winning, but on showing people he is right. He has been that way for years, in fact, emboldened by going 11-11 in two years and GETTING A 10 YEAR CONTRACT.

None of this is getting fixed unless Grunk is a stud, because Grunk is next in line, Franklin Way, and he will get to be the starter until he chooses not to or runs out of eligibility.
 

MacNit

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Oct 12, 2021
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You asked a question that doesn't make sense because you're, as always, using words I didn't.
Watch the video provided. Allar "wasn't bad"--he's not the problem. Any sane person that understands football would grasps that but alas I'm stuck talking to people like you that just yell about the QB
Of course, you are the only sane person lol!…I guess NFL scouts who say that Allar’s draft stock is dropping like a stone are insane? Third round and dropping…but what would they know?

And you are not stuck talking to me…don’t respond!

I know much more about football and sports than you ever will. And more importantly, I confirm my positions by consulting with former PSU players and coaches.

But again, what would they know about PSU Football?
 
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Moogy

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Jul 28, 2017
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I know much more about football and sports than you ever will. And more importantly, I confirm my positions by consulting with former PSU players and coaches.

Oh, good lord. You just went full "insecure/desperate 12-year-old."

Hopefully, the guy you're arguing with responds with "oh yeah, well, I talk to the god of football, and they say you're wrong. No givebacks. Infinity."
 
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cjrugger

All-Conference
Dec 13, 2017
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All true, but I keep going back to this (and I acknowledge it is beating a dead horse), but:

a. The gameplans have now sucked for 4 coordinators.
b. Penn State hasn't gotten good, let alone great, let alone elite, QB play in consecutive games since Trace. For every random Sean Clifford show out in Columbus in 2021, there was Illinois.
c. Rickey Rahne Kirk Ciarrocca Mike Yurcich Andy Kotelnicki has done a terrible job adapting scheme to personnel.

Now we have a HC who is BENT, not on winning, but on showing people he is right. He has been that way for years, in fact, emboldened by going 11-11 in two years and GETTING A 10 YEAR CONTRACT.

None of this is getting fixed unless Grunk is a stud, because Grunk is next in line, Franklin Way, and he will get to be the starter until he chooses not to or runs out of eligibility.
There have been a lot of good qb games since 2018. I bet some of them even happened in back to back games. It sucks for you that you can't enjoy the good football you've been watching
 

donaldfair71

Junior
Jul 4, 2005
330
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There have been a lot of good qb games since 2018. I bet some of them even happened in back to back games. It sucks for you that you can't enjoy the good football you've been watching
Do you believe the QB play since 2018 has been good enough to win a national title?
 

cjrugger

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Do you believe the QB play since 2018 has been good enough to win a national title?
Interesting to see you pivot the conversation so drastically.

Yeah, at times. Go back and look at Sean Clifford's numbers compared to JJ McCarthy or Stetson Bennett and I bet they look pretty similar
 

donaldfair71

Junior
Jul 4, 2005
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Interesting to see you pivot the conversation so drastically.

Yeah, at times. Go back and look at Sean Clifford's numbers compared to JJ McCarthy or Stetson Bennett and I bet they look pretty similar
It's no pivot- it goes to exactly what having no consistent QB play (IE, struggling with back to back effective play) has cost the program.

Stetson Bennett was a Heisman finalist. JJ McCarthy was a top 15 draft pick.
 

thoss

Freshman
Aug 7, 2025
40
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Part of the problem is Ryan Day can bench/transfer out a 5 star QB and there will be 3 more 5 stars vying for the job. Allar was the only 5 star James Franklin has been able to recruit (aside from Fields who decommitted). You really want your 5 star QB to succeed so you can recruit another 5-star. You let Pribula transfer out and you hope Allar can improve. But it's pretty clear now he's not improving, he's getting worse.
 

thoss

Freshman
Aug 7, 2025
40
93
18
Receivers wide open all over the damn field. It’s time for people to stop saying they’re the problem.

Receivers weren't the problem last year either -- maybe it's easier for people to see that now. If you don't have a QB who can locate the ball with any consistency, it doesn't really matter about the receivers, you're not going to have a passing game.
 
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PSUForever

Senior
Feb 17, 2007
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Part of the problem is Ryan Day can bench/transfer out a 5 star QB and there will be 3 more 5 stars vying for the job. Allar was the only 5 star James Franklin has been able to recruit (aside from Fields who decommitted). You really want your 5 star QB to succeed so you can recruit another 5-star. You let Pribula transfer out and you hope Allar can improve. But it's pretty clear now he's not improving, he's getting worse.
Was Allar legitimately a 5 star? OSU did not want him until late. All these rankings are a little suspicious. Look at the high ranked QBs, Klubnik, Manning. Allar was clearly overrated, not developing and bad system fit.
 

MacNit

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
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Oh, good lord. You just went full "insecure/desperate 12-year-old."

Hopefully, the guy you're arguing with responds with "oh yeah, well, I talk to the god of football, and they say you're wrong. No givebacks. Infinity."
Thank you for that 5-star psychoanalysis!

Is PSU under Franklin winning meaningful games? What do the numbers say? What are analysts saying? Fans (they pay bills)?

Whether you believe me or not does not change the facts on the ground one bit.
 
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cjrugger

All-Conference
Dec 13, 2017
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It's no pivot- it goes to exactly what having no consistent QB play (IE, struggling with back to back effective play) has cost the program.

Stetson Bennett was a Heisman finalist. JJ McCarthy was a top 15 draft pick.
Anthony Richardson was a top 5 pick. He sucked. Are you discussing NFL draft picks or college qb play?
 

Ram20

Senior
Jul 29, 2013
430
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Receivers weren't the problem last year either -- maybe it's easier for people to see that now. If you don't have a QB who can locate the ball with any consistency, it doesn't really matter about the receivers, you're not going to have a passing game.
I probably have less of a problem with the receivers and even Drew than most. I hate that there is seemingly pressure on Drew(and all of our QBs) way before receiver routes have a chance to even develop. For years we have been saying "the receivers get no serration" but when you watch the videos...they do, its just Drew is under duress and the line has quit before they have a chance to be found.
 

KingLando

Senior
Nov 29, 2021
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Of course, you are the only sane person lol!…I guess NFL scouts who say that Allar’s draft stock is dropping like a stone are insane? Third round and dropping…but what would they know?

And you are not stuck talking to me…don’t respond!

I know much more about football and sports than you ever will. And more importantly, I confirm my positions by consulting with former PSU players and coaches.

But again, what would they know about PSU Football?
Not the only sane person
Who are these scouts?
I respond to anything directed towards me
You don't. You clearly didn't play or coach and I'm positive you don't know anyone associated with football let alone Penn State football
If you did they'd stop speaking to you after reading your posts
 

KingLando

Senior
Nov 29, 2021
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Receivers weren't the problem last year either -- maybe it's easier for people to see that now. If you don't have a QB who can locate the ball with any consistency, it doesn't really matter about the receivers, you're not going to have a passing game.
No QB is that consistent in college. Few NFL QBs are. Receivers have to catch passes that aren't perfect or they can't play. The issue with the passing game is the scheme. As this breakdown clearly states "Drew didn't play bad"....he didn't. He could have been better but needs help for the line, the recievers, the play calling and the run game. Like all QBs.
 

PSUForever

Senior
Feb 17, 2007
540
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I probably have less of a problem with the receivers and even Drew than most. I hate that there is seemingly pressure on Drew(and all of our QBs) way before receiver routes have a chance to even develop. For years we have been saying "the receivers get no serration" but when you watch the videos...they do, its just Drew is under duress and the line has quit before they have a chance to be found.
If the O-Line could get their act together then this offense would look a lot better. That would obviously help Drew and the WRs/TEs and certainly Kaytron. Nick too but his vision is so lousy and he goes down with hand tackles that it is not as conclusive that he would benefit from better OLine play.

The stat that has jumped out to me is Oregon got pressure on like 18 of 25 pass plays. Totally ridiculous. Clean this up and the offense has to look better. However, this doesn't get AK off the hook. He needs to be better with his play calls. He needs to have a better feel for the game and stop with the bush league gimmick plays.