Penn State quarterback Drew Allar called Heisman Trophy dark horse; Saquon Barkley to sign new deal: Newsstand
Penn State news, notes, and updates for July 25 include preseason praise for Drew Allar, plus a new deal for Saquon Barkley that will send him to training camp and much more.
It’s time to dive into Tuesday’s top tweets and headlines about the Nittany Lions and college athletics.
Penn State tweets of the day
We start with Drew Allar. The Penn State sophomore and former five-star recruit is the Big Ten’s darkhorse candidate to win this year’s Heisman Trophy, according to Pro Football Focus. It picked one player from each conference who is currently flying under the radar for the award given to the nation’s best player but may not be by the end of the season. The Ohio native has not yet been named the team’s started but is expected to be before Week 1.
“Allar is a 6-foot-5, pro-style quarterback with a very strong arm,” Mitch Kaiser writes for PFF. “He looked great in minimal play time a season ago, showing tremendous pocket presence and poise. He recorded three big-time throws and no turnover-worthy plays on 60 attempts on his way to a 71.8 grade.
“The biggest obstacles for Allar this season will be Michigan and Ohio State, as is often the case in the Big Ten. Penn State needs to win one, if not both, of those games for the team to both stay in College Football Playoff contention and for Allar to even be considered in the Heisman race. If he is as good as advertised, there’s a great chance that Penn State is a dominant team in 2023.”
Top 10
- 1
Elko pokes at Kiffin
A&M coach jokes over kick times
- 2
Dan Lanning
Oregon coach getting NFL buzz
- 3Trending
UK upsets Duke
Mark Pope leads Kentucky to first Champions Classic win since 2019
- 4Hot
5-star flip
Ole Miss flips Alabama WR commit Caleb Cunningham
- 5
Second CFP Top 25
Newest CFP rankings are out
In other news, Saquon Barkley is reportedly signing a one-year deal worth up to $11 million with the New York Giants. It keeps him off the franchise tag, which was previously a cause of tension between the sides. A $2 million signing bonus is part of the deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Barkley and the G-Men report to camp this week.
Headlines of the day
Penn State’s Abdul Carter is ready to make his move this season: Scarcella, Reading Eagle
PSU commit Ethan Grunkemeyer accepts invite to Under Armour All-America game: Pickel, BWI
Penn State has one of the best cornerbacks in college football heading into the season: Sauber, CDT
What are the top four answers we won’t hear from the Penn State contingent at Big Ten Media Days?: Pickel, BWI
4-star DL T.A. Cunningham is disruptive with big frame, pursuit: Woloson, Daily Collegian
Quote of the day
“Part of why I liked Penn State’s vision for me so much is because they see me as one of those players that could be versatile. They don’t really see me as a straight defensive tackle or a defensive end. Honestly, speaking with the coaches, I don’t think they’ve called me either. Like I’m really just a defensive lineman. They see my versatility. And, they know I can be physical on the inside, but I’m also athletic enough to perhaps switch on the outside. Whatever situation or defense we’re in, I’m somebody that could adjust to it.”
—PSU commit T.A. Cunningham to BWI about why he picked the Lions.
