Penn State Q&A: Drew Allar talks 2024 leaders, 2023 flaws, new offense, and more

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is ready for his second season as a starter for the Nittany Lions. The junior from Medina, Ohio learned plenty in 2023 while guiding the program to a Peach Bowl appearance. In 2024, he will have those experiences to lean on while learning Andy Kotelnicki’s new offense and aiming to be more of a leader for his team this fall.

Allar recently joined the BWI Live show with host Thomas Frank Carr. A clip from the episode is in the embedded video player above. The full 16-minute video can be seen on YouTube by clicking here. And, in this week’s Penn State Q&A, we’ve rounded up some of Allar’s best answers for you to read below.

On leadership shown during winter workouts

“From an offensive end, I think we’ve done a lot better job of having a lot more vocal leaders at this point than we did last year,” Allar said. “We had a tremendous group of leaders last year. But, I feel like we’ve done a better job of being more vocal and demanding of teammates and holding everybody to the standard that we want to be on offense.

“Up front, [center] Nick Dawkins is a great leader. He can connect with anybody, [and] talk to anybody. And then from receivers perspective and tight ends, we got Tyler Warren, Trey [Wallace], Dre [Lambert-Smith], Liam [Clifford], and Julian [Fleming], so it’s really leadership by committee on our offense. It’s been really good so far, obviously competing against a great defense. So it’s been really fun.”

On the personality of the new Penn State offense

“It’s kind of hard to tell right now without having a ball in our hands [during winter workouts],” Allar said. “But the way we’re moving, it’s really about confidence and carrying ourselves and having a sense of swagger about us. I think Coach K like brings out a really positive energy with not only us, but the whole offensive staff in general. And it’s been a lot of fun already just really getting our base installs in these past couple of weeks with all the coaches, really grinding through what they’re going to call things, certain tags on run and pass plays, and grinding through that sort of thing.

“So it’s been really fun to see our growth as offense already. We’re doing a lot of things right now, meeting extra on our own away from the coaches, having walkthroughs, throwing session, so I think we’re really taking this head on and just grinding out as much as we can right now.”

On being the Lions’ starting quarterback and the de-facto face of the program

“For me personally, I tried to really block all that stuff out. Because, at the end of the day, what matters the most is what’s in this building; Teammates, strength coaches, staff, all that stuff is the most important stuff for us right now. So it’s really just valuing those opinions, learning from them, and talking to them and seeing what areas I’m doing well and could improve on. I have the highest expectations for myself and I have goals that I want to get to and it goals I want to reach for this team this upcoming year. So, really, I put the most pressure on myself, even if that’s a bad thing at times, but there’s no other way I’d rather have it honestly.”

Allar on his focuses in 2024

“Right now, it’s really nailing down and being as consistent as possible, and having what we call it a standard operation procedure,” he said. “It’s going to be a little bit different this year with a new offensive system. But, having a set of rules, like three to five rules at most, of just something I’m going to do every time I come up to the line, and whatever it may be, pre-snap diagnosis of the coverage, identifying the front and getting the ID right with the line, whether it’s run or pass, and really just nailing down those rules for now. And then once we get into actual football, just being consistent in mechanics, footwork and everything from that nature.”

On an area for growth for the Penn State quarterback

“Just going off last year, I think one of my biggest strengths was also my weakness, if this makes sense,” Allar said. “I almost process information way too fast in a way where I’d be early in progressions and not let the first part of the progression really develop that much. Even if I knew it wasn’t going to be open and it wasn’t open, I got to let it develop first and then move into the backside of the progression.

“With the pass game everything’s tied in and rhythmic. So, when your first read’s not open, that’s when your second read is coming over, etc. So I think just from that aspect of playing quarterback, I can grow into that area. And then obviously, with Coach K and diving into his offense already, I think there’s going to be a lot more things that we do on the front end for us that are going to make the defense communicate, and it’s gotta be more beneficial for us helping guys get open from a schematic standpoint and getting them better, favorable matchups in a sense.

“And, just making the defense be on their toes and always making them communicate. So I’m really looking forward to get into spring ball and going against Coach Allen and their defensive system. Obviously played against it the past two years when we played it Indiana. Great defense, always fundamentally sound, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what it’s going to look like with that type athletes that we have on our side of the ball and on defense.”

Final word

Allar, on how far off the 2023 offense was from being better:

“I mean, it wasn’t far off at all. And I think that was the most frustrating thing about it. We had the right things going, and for whatever reason, we didn’t execute the play properly. Or, we could have been more sound in assignments and things of that nature. So I think that’s honestly why it was so frustrating last year at times. Because, for me personally, I knew how close we were. Obviously we have all the talent in the world here. We just got to go out and do the job.

“And with Coach K, I think one of his big things is just eliminating variables for us. Just allowing us to go out and play fast. I think that will clear a lot of things up with guys not being indecisive and now they’ll be able to go out and play full speed. I think that would be a big thing for us this spring specifically. Go out and just go 100 percent. Play without the ball. Do whatever your job is. And, earn those opportunities. Do your responsibility and those big plays will come.”