Penn State, Drew Allar, prep for first road test as date with Illinois looms
Penn State and its first-year starting quarterback go on the road for the first time in 2023 this weekend when the Lions battle Illinois at Noon ET on FOX. The Nittany Lions are a two-touchdown favorite. The Fighting Illini are 1-1 and asking their fans to help boost the team’s intensity by asking them all to wear orange with hopes of creating a scene that can mimic a White Out game environment at Beaver Stadium.
Just how loud Memorial Stadium will be is hard to say. Similarly, its hard to know exactly how Drew Allar will handle his first test away from the friendly confines of Beaver Stadium. If last year’s Purdue game, where started the second half for Sean Clifford with the same poise he’s shown this year, the offense will be fine. However, thinking all will go well and believing it after seeing it are two different things.
“Like I keep saying with Drew, he’s doing all the right things and taking all the necessary steps,” head coach James Franklin said on Tuesday. “We expect it to be a challenging road environment. But, we didn’t wait until this week to prepare for that. We’ve done that all training camp. But, again, he’s doing all the right things in terms of preparation, watching film, nutrition, hydration, sleep, getting more and more comfortable and confident in his leadership role; again, all these things are firsts.
“For us, it’s doing everything we possibly can to prepare as a team to get them as prepared as we possibly can. I do think his game last year at Purdue is helpful. But, most importantly, I want to make sure by Friday night when we’re going to bed that we’ve done everything we can to have him and the team prepared to play well.”
Drew Allar talks first Penn State road game as the starter
Allar told reporters Tuesday he does not like being the center of attention. That might be true off the field. But on it, the sophomore from Medina, Ohio has shown no issue with being the man in control of the high-flying Penn State offense. It’s one thing to do it at home. It’s another to do it on the road. Allar will get his first opportunity to showcase that he can do it all anywhere on Saturday afternoon.
“I think [Illinois does] a lot of different things,” Allar said. “They have a lot of big guys up front, size; it’s going to be a challenge this week. First Big Ten game on the road, it’s not going to be easy by any stretch. It’s going to be a challenge.
“We need to stay in tune with us and keep working on the small things because at the end of the day the small things add up to the big things. They’re a really good defense. It’s going to be a huge challenge for us this week.”
