In the aftermath of frustrating back-to-back losses and amid swirling criticism of Penn State’s offense, quarterback Drew Allar promised to “do everything in (his) power to right the wrongs.”
Asked Wednesday how that vow is playing out, the senior signal-caller emphasized day-by-day improvement on the practice field and in his leadership.
“It’s about going out and setting the tone during practice, whether that’s the way I’m carrying myself mentally and physically, or just being more vocal, whatever the case is —obviously every situation is a little bit different, but just trying to bring an edge to to myself during practice and just being at a competitive level,” Allar said.
Fresh off its second loss of the season, Penn State is backed into a corner. Once viewed as a frontrunner to win the national championship, the Nittany Lions are likely on the brink of College Football Playoff elimination.
Allar, who said he arrives at the Lasch Building at 6 a.m. every morning and leaves at 8:30 p.m., hasn’t wavered in his belief in coaches and teammates. Amid scrutiny of the coaching staff, particularly head coach James Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, Allar stood firm in his confidence in the program’s leadership.
“It’s always been bigger than football,” Allar said. “Obviously, a big part of the reason why I came to Penn State is the football part of it, but it’s also the culture (Franklin) has built here, between the family atmosphere that the coaches and everybody that he brings into the program feeds off to the players, and really, the players that he brings in and the players that we recruit here at Penn State. It’s a true brotherhood.”
Though fans have openly called for Franklin’s termination, players have unanimously spoken in support of the coach they committed to play for. Allar said he’s “done a great job setting the tone” throughout the week as they prepare to face Northwestern in Beaver Stadium.
“I think he’s given some great messages to us and motivated messages,” Allar said. “I know he’s getting a lot of criticism and that sort of thing. Nobody really knows what he’s going through other than him. I’m excited to go out there and play another game for him, because, again, there’s no other coach in the country that I’d rather be going out there for on Saturday.”
He also described his relationship with Kotelnicki as “great,” pointing to in-game adjustments that reflected open communication between players and staff. Allar said he and a few wide receivers made a suggestion to Kotelnicki last Saturday about a specific play, and the adjustment resulted in a touchdown the next time they attempted it.
Despite a barrage of outside criticism, Allar offered a measured yet passionate look into the mentality of the Nittany Lions facing a turning point in their season.
“I think we’re an extremely motivated group,” Allar said. “We’re not particularly happy. I think we’re more motivated than ever because of everything that’s transpired.”
