Point-Counterpoint: Who was Penn State's MVP during the 2023 regular season?

Penn State will put a box on its 2023 football season later this week when the Lions face Ole Miss in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. It may be PSU’s first appearance in the Peach Bowl, but the Lions are no stranger to the stage, competing in a New Year’s Six Bowl for the fifth time in the past eight seasons under head coach James Franklin.

Defensively, the Nittany Lions were one of the best in the nation this year, ranking No. 1 nationally in total defense, rushing defense, and sacks, second in tackles for loss and third in passing defense and scoring. Offensively, Penn State struggled against its two most important opponents, Ohio State and Michigan, but still finished 12th nationally in scoring with an average of 37.2 points per game.

So, which of Penn State’s players had the most to do with the team’s success in 2023? Blue White Illustrated’s Ryan Snyder and Greg Pickel give their thoughts in our latest point-counterpoint ahead of the Peach Bowl.

Who was PSU’s MVP in 2023?

Greg Pickel: Does it feel a bit strange to anyone else that there is not one clear and obvious answer to this question on a 10-2 team? It does to me. But it also makes it a great topic for this section as you could go any number of ways and have a leg to stand on. 

For me, the choice is defensive end Adisa Isaac. And no, it’s not his honor over Chop Robinson simply because of the stat sheet. He was disruptive in so many ways that do not show up on paper and forced offenses to do things differently. It’s worth noting that the Penn State defense would not have been as good in so many different areas if Isaac did not have his best season as a Nittany Lion by taking advantage of both opportunities he created for himself and ones that Robinson sent his way. 

Isaac was simply terrific this year. There is not one game where he did not make some kind of impact play. The stats — 35 tackles, 15 for loss and a team-high 7.5 sacks are all excellent. But even beyond that, his high level of play and tremendous leadership, neither of which can be quantified, pushed this defense to new heights in 2023. That’s why he’s my team MVP pick.

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Ryan Snyder: I’ll start by stating that you could make arguments for a few players on Penn State’s defensive players. In addition to Isaac, you could pick Chop Robinson, Kobe King and KJ Winston and I couldn’t really argue it. They all deserve recognition for the seasons they had.

But since Greg went with a defensive player, I’m going to focus on the offensive side. I looked at this a bit differently than I think many fans would and went with quarterback Drew Allar as my MVP.

Hear me out.

Before the season started, expectations for Allar were higher than they realistically should’ve been. I discussed this with Penn State fans in the Lions Den message board throughout the summer. That’s what happens when you’re a five-star quarterback at a school that’s been deprived of elite players at that position. I don’t blame fans for that. It is what it is.

But as we documented after the regular season finale, Allar finished with an overall grade of 90.1, according to Pro Football Focus. It was not only the highest among PSU’s offensive players but also second in the Big Ten at the position, with only Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy grading out better with a 91.0. When you then compare him to other Power Five quarterbacks, Allar’s passing grade ranked No. 10 nationally out of 67 quarterbacks who threw the ball at least 200 times. His overall grade was 12th.

Just for comparison, Sean Clifford finished the 2022 regular season with a 77.4 overall grade, which is solid but would’ve ranked about midpack at the Power Five level. 26th out of 62 quarterbacks, to be precise. In fact, Allar’s grade this season was the highest of any quarterback under Franklin’s leadership. The next closest was Trace McSorley’s 2017 regular season. He finished with an 85.3.

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For the most part, Penn State’s issues on offense this season weren’t because of Allar. It’s no secret that the wide receivers struggled to create separation, contributing to a lack of explosive plays. We should’ve known it would be a significant issue when receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield was fired just two days before the transfer portal closed last January. That move said a lot. Unexpected struggles in the run game only made it more complex at times.

I think if many other quarterbacks were leading the offense this year, they would’ve forced more throws, leading to more turnovers. Allar will surely have to play better in next year’s marquee games. Drew would be the first to tell you that, but I also believe Penn State could’ve potentially lost a game it shouldn’t have this season if someone else was playing that position.

To me, there’s a difference between the most valuable player and the best player. It’s the same reason quarterbacks regularly win the Heisman Trophy or NFL MVP. And make no mistake; if a handful of Penn State’s top players all entered the transfer portal, there’s no doubt in my mind that Allar would be the most coveted. Only Olu Fashanu and maybe Chop would come close to the attention Allar would get.

Football is the ultimate team game, but there are a few positions that are simply more important than others. We all know that quarterback is the key spot. I think Allar’s 2023 season was better than most are giving him credit for, and because of that, I’ll go with the sophomore as my MVP for 2023.