MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Drew Allar extended his left arm and pushed back the head of the West Virginia linebacker running toward him. He picked up the first down and turned to the linebacker, yelling in his face before Penn State scored its final touchdown in a 34-12 season-opening victory on Saturday. There appears to be a new Allar in the making: confident, aggressive and filled with emotion.
Allar completed 11-of-17 pass attempts for 216 yards and three touchdowns. He also eluded pass rushers for four first downs on the ground, and wasn’t sacked a single time. It was one of Allar’s most-complete performances over his three-year college career, and a showing that was packed with glimpses that he may be finally turning a corner.
“I want to be the guy that sets the tone offensively. … I want to show emotion and passion for the game, but I’m never going to dip down,” Allar said postgame. “I’m going to be steady the whole time, but I’m going to definitely celebrate when things do go our way.”
It’s not that Allar didn’t show flashes last season; he did, but not when it mattered most.
That could partially be due to Allar’s inexperience as a first-year starter and his lack of fit with former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. But both of those areas have been resolved. He now understands what it takes to be a starting quarterback and has meshed well with new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.
Kotelnicki is now, literally, in Allar’s ear every pre-snap, thanks to the new rule allowing helmet communications. His demeanor? Calm. His confidence? Consistent. Kotelnicki’s presence, and scheme, didn’t pay off on Saturday just for Allar, but also running back Nick Singleton and wide receiver Harrison Wallace III, who each eclipsed 100 yards in their respective statistical categories.
“We love it. You know, Coach Franklin and Coach K, they preached about it since spring camp — they want to be aggressive, man. They want to take shots. And Drew loves it too. The receivers love it too,” Singleton said. “It’s just, you got to be able just to throw it down the field and make a play, which obviously they’ve been doing.”
And Allar did just that on Saturday. In fact, he tallied six total explosive plays, a pair of which were at least 50-yard passes, one being a touchdown pass to Wallace. Penn State’s goal is to finish a game with 15% of its total plays being explosive. Against the Mountaineers, the Nittany Lions accomplished 18.3%.
Allar did a little bit of everything, and likely made a good impression on the NFL scouts in attendance as the big-bodied, dual-threat talent that could have a bright future for years to come. With Kotelnicki leading the offense, it appears James Franklin could finally be getting the most out of his starting quarterback.
“I thought he ran better than probably people expected last year. He’s dropped 10 pounds. I think he’s done a really good job in the weight room becoming more explosive,” Franklin said. “We always talk, like, obviously mobility at the quarterback position is important. But if your quarterback can get you just two to three first downs a game with his legs, it changes everything.”
Allar played an almost perfect game against West Virginia. The only downside the box score might show is a first quarter fumble that should not have been. A Mountaineer safety clapped his cadence, and Allar made sure to let the referee know his opinion. Allar got right in his face as he argued, showing a heated emotion that he’d never previously made public.
“I heard a clap. Like, obviously I have to tell the ref that I can’t let that slide, because that’s gonna be like a disadvantage for us all day,” Allar said. “But honestly, I probably should have kept my cool a little bit more in that moment.”
Stiff arms. Smack talk. Arguments with officials. That’s all part of a new side of Allar that wasn’t apparent last season. Consistency will ultimately tell the tale of Penn State’s fate, but if Allar can bring the same energy and production as he did against a highly touted West Virginia team, the Nittany Lions could be in good hands.
This side of Allar is, of course, only new to those outside the facilities. His coaches and teammates have known all offseason.
“I’ve definitely seen it a lot. He’s coming out of his shell,” Singleton said. “You know, he’s been quiet ever since he stepped on campus. But now he’s more vocal. He’s being a captain, so it’s making him speak up more and just show his personality, which is cool.”
