Penn State OC Andy Kotelnicki’s Most Effective Trick Play? Trusting QB Drew Allar

Andy Kotelnicki drew up the same play twice. The first time, it resulted in an interception by quarterback Drew Allar. The second ended in a game-tying touchdown from Allar to running back Nick Singleton that ultimately led to overtime in Penn State’s 33-30 win at USC on Saturday.

Kotelnicki has dipped deep into his bag of tricks in his first season as the Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator. He’s put tight ends at center, quarterbacks at wide receiver and offensive linemen in motion. But perhaps Kotelnicki’s most effective installment yet centers on trust and belief in his starting quarterback.

“That last drive was a big-time drive, and he showed up and made some big-time plays,” Kotelnicki said on Wednesday. … “For him to come back and us to go back to him, I think, shows our belief in him and being able to go through and grow and develop and execute when it was dialed up again at the end of the game.”

His three interceptions didn’t matter. Allar’s performance against the Trojans was one of the best of his career. He was relentless on his way to throwing for 391 yards and two touchdowns. And so was Kotelnicki, who never scrapped his creative game plan despite trailing by two scores entering the half.

It was said throughout the offseason that Allar was more confident and productive. And through six games, he’s lived up to the hype. His intangible talent has, more or less, always been evident. His success just came down to knowing how to use his skills and flushing out the inevitable mistakes that every quarterback is bound to make.

There’s a reason that Kotelnicki didn’t shy away from rerunning a previously intercepted play, even in a critical moment. He believes in Allar.

“I’ve just been super pleased with his development and growth, and I think, fundamentally, it all just goes down to him wanting to get better, right?,” Kotelnicki said. “He wasn’t sitting and sulking when we did throw an interception. He was evaluating what he’s going to do next time that situation comes up.”

Here’s more from Kotelnicki’s media availability on Wednesday.

Tyler Warren ‘one of a kind’

Kotelnicki began with Tyler Warren’s basketball highlights. He then knew immediately that Warren was more than just a tight end. He was an athlete, and he’d be used as such. Warren has since taken snaps at quarterback, center and tight end under Kotelnicki’s lead, and has defined himself as one of the most versatile players in college football.

Warren leads the Nittany Lions with 513 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. But he’s also rushed five times for 38 yards and a touchdown and thrown two passes for 26 yards and a score. He’s clearly the muse of Kotelnicki’s creative scheme, and has a shot at not only the John Mackey Award but also maybe even the Heisman Trophy halfway through the 2024 season.

“He’s pretty special,” Kotelnicki said. “He’s pretty unique that way, probably one of a kind, in that sense. I’m really enjoying trying to find creative ways to get him the football and I appreciate his willingness to want to do creative things.”

Kotelnicki’s explosive improvement

Penn State’s offense has gone from one of the nation’s least explosive to most explosive in just six games under Kotelnicki. As it stands, the Nittany Lions are ranked No. 7 in the country with 7.1 yards per play, a stark contrast to the team’s No. 60 ranking with 5.5 yards per play under former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich last season.

Allar appears more comfortable throwing the long ball to a wide receiver corps that has improved drastically since last year. Penn State has also found an uptick in big plays from running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who struggled to make their mark as sophomores in 2023.

“I feel like that investment, that emphasis — we’re reaping the rewards of that,” Kotelnicki said. “But we still want to be able to be explosive, really, in every facet, both run and pass and how it’s happening and who it’s happening with. So I feel good about where we’re at. We have to continue to emphasize it.”

Pribula’s effectiveness ‘on par’

It comes as no surprise that backup quarterback Beau Pribula has played in all six games this season. Pribula’s a reliable force on the ground whose role varies by week, making it a difficult task for opposing defensive coordinators to game plan for his sets. In other words, he’s a decoy who could just as well make an impact with the ball in his hands as he could without it.

Pribula has completed 7-of-10 pass attempts for 102 yards and two passing touchdowns while adding 15 carries for 105 yards a score this season. He’s played a lot of football, but has Pribula’s usage really been as effective for Kotelnicki as he would’ve liked?

“It’s probably on par,” Kotelnicki said. “…We get 11 players to put on the field. So if he goes on, someone’s got to come out. And then who is that, right? And so if he’s coming off, someone else has to go on. So we’re constantly evaluating situations, packages for plays against the opponents, and trying to figure out what’s best for Penn State.”