James Franklin addresses where Drew Allar can improve in 2025

Drew Allar had a tremendous season for Penn State in 2024, leading them to the Semifinals of the College Football Playoff. While the Nittany Lions fell to Notre Dame in that showdown, James Franklin is more than enthusiastic about his quarterback’s future in Happy Valley ahead of the 2025 season.

The Penn State leader joined On3’s Andy & Ari for the latest episode of the podcast. Speaking with Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman, Franklin elaborated on where Allar could improve this coming season. It’s obvious his confidence is high in the quarterback, and the coach believes the sky is the limit for the 21-year old.

“I get these types of questions a lot and I don’t really give the answer that I think people want me to give. But it’s like a little bit of everything, right? It’s not one [thing]. I think when you get to the point where we are — top five program the last three years. I’ve won ten or more games every single year. That hasn’t happened at Penn State since I think 1980 to 1982, a three-year span like that. Obviously, before joining the Big Ten. It’s the same with us. You’re going to have to get a little bit better in every area. It’s not one specific thing. And I think it’s the same thing with Drew,” Franklin proclaimed.

The Penn State coach harkened back to Allar’s recruiting process, putting his college football journey in perspective: “You look at him, he had a very unusual recruiting process,” Franklin added. “He started out, I think, when we were recruiting, he was like a three-star guy. Then, he moved up late to a four-star guy. And then at the end, he was a five-star recruit. Some people had him as the No. 1 quarterback in the country. Kind of an unusual process in today’s day and age, specifically with a quarterback. But I think it’s been the same way since he’s been on campus.

“As a freshman, he was our backup quarterback. Got a chance to play some significant time. Made a significant jump. As a sophomore, made another significant jump. As a junior, you look at his numbers, you look at his wins, you look at his completion percentage, you look at his touchdown and interception ratio — it’s off the charts. This year, took a big step, in terms of his ability to make plays with his legs. You know, two years ago, he was 6’5, 242 pounds. This year, he was 6’5, 235. Was able to keep people honest with his legs, which is such a big part of college football and even the NFL now.”

What’s next for Allar, after sizable jumps each season over the past three years at Penn State? Franklin thinks his quarterback’s will to be great is what will lead his team to success in 2025: “I just think that’s the next thing for him to do is continue growing in all those areas,” the Nittany Lions leader said. “He’s an extremely driven and motivated guy. He wants to be great. He approaches it the right way, both mentally and physically. I think he’s just gonna continue to take steps in the right direction this year.”

If 2024 was Drew Allar’s breakout season, 2025 could be the season he takes over the sport of college football. A memorable year could be on the horizon for Penn State, if the Nittany Lions quarterback lives up to his potential in a couple of months.