Drew Allar offers glimpse of potential in Penn State debut

In the days leading into Penn State’s opener at Purdue, head coach James Franklin hammered home a familiar message. True freshman quarterback Drew Allar, Franklin and the Nittany Lion coaching staff would have to hope, was listening closely.

Competing in a sport in which the unpredictable is nothing short of an expectation, the Nittany Lions needed to have the right mindset. And, coach-speak or not, preparation was paramount throughout the depth chart.

“I talk to the team about it. You better prepare as if you’re the starter,” Franklin told reporters. “That’s easier said than done. The example that we use all the time is Jan Johnson, who went from a scout team tight end to the starting middle linebacker in just a matter of months.

“We just try to use that example as much as we can, because if everybody approaches it that way, then it’s going to make them better and it’s going to make our team better.”

Thursday evening in West Lafayette, Allar immediately got a taste of that message’s importance.

Leading Purdue at the half, Penn State opened the third quarter playing defense against the Boilermakers. Over nine plays, Aidan O’Connell directed the hosts into the end zone. And, curiously, his Penn State counterpart, sixth-year Sean Clifford, raced toward the locker room.

Announced as Penn State’s primary backup for the first week of the season – described by Franklin as not being “a set-in-stone thing for the entire year” – Allar’s much-anticipated moment had arrived sooner than anticipated.

Though Clifford’s absence occurred without explanation at the moment, Franklin detailed what had transpired.

“He cramped up and had to go in and get an IV, then he came back and then started to cramp up again,” Franklin said. “He wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to go, so we got Drew going again. And then he was able to get in there and play.”

Drew Allar’s Penn State debut

An On3 Consensus five-star quarterback ranked No. 3 at the position and No. 28 overall nationally, the 6-foot-5, 242-pounder trotted onto the field holding a 21-17 lead. Though the box score remained unchanged after his appearance, a set of six plays spanning more than two minutes of game action, Allar’s career was officially underway. 

Settling in with an easy handoff to classmate Kaytron Allen, the next play offered a similarly simple opportunity. Standing in the shotgun, Allar distributed a pitch-and-catch to KeAndre Lambert-Smith behind the line of scrimmage, letting the veteran receiver weave his way upfield for an 11-yard gain and a first down.

Solid footing established, Allar’s next steps offered an immediate glimpse at what his future could hold. Confidently stepping up in the pocket to evade a linebacker blitz, Allar flushed right toward the sideline in sync with grad transfer wideout Mitchell Tinsley. Delivering the on-target, on-time pass for a 15-yard gain, Allar was rolling.

Were it not for a tough drop on his next pass attempt, that might have continued to be the case.

Tough drop halts progress

Working a play action out of the shotgun, Allar patiently stood in the pocket as tight end Tyler Warren wedged between Purdue linebacker Jalen Graham and safety Reese Taylor toward the sideline. A pinpoint-placed floater, the pass bounced off Warren’s hands and to the turf for an unceremonious incompletion. 

Lamenting the mishap, the play made its way into Franklin’s postgame commentary regarding the performance.

“We got to be more consistent. We’ve got to make more plays,” Franklin said. “We dropped some big-time balls on offense, not only for Sean, but when Drew went in there, we had a chance to make some plays for him.”

Left to regroup for a third-and-7 near midfield, Allar’s final pass attempt offered a contrasting, concurrent view of his reality. 

Scanning his options before stepping up in the pocket, Allar settled on Tinsley on a crossing route. He picked a spot in traffic and fired.

Unleashing an effortless, wrist-flicking bullet, the attempt was badly placed behind Tinsley. Fortunate to have not been an interception, the misfire instead simply produced a punt and change of possession. 

Next steps for Drew Allar

Taking stock of his understudy’s performance, Clifford – who admittedly hadn’t seen the series while in the locker room – said it provided a much-needed boost to the room.

“I heard he played well when I went out,” Clifford said. “It gives me a lot of confidence as a quarterback. All three of them, they’re talented. And for me, if you have a ding or something happens, it’s nice to know that a guy’s gonna come in and execute. 

“I didn’t get to see Drew play that drive, but I’m sure they all said it looked good. I’m happy that he got his first drive at Penn State. I thought it was good for him, kept us on the field, moved the ball I heard, so I’m excited for him.”

In total, Allar completed 2-of-4 passes for 26 yards in the stat sheet. According to PFF’s metrics, his six total snaps led to a final grade of 80.0. 

And, if Franklin’s aims for Penn State’s week two matchup with Ohio come to fruition Saturday (noon, ABC), that stat line for Allar will continue to grow.

“I thought Drew Allar did some nice things when he was in,” Franklin said. “Hopefully we can get him some time next week as well.”