Drew Allar remembers warmups. There was an hour before kickoff in Penn State’s 2023 season opener against West Virginia and the stands were already packed. He jogged and settled into the atmosphere and warmed up his arm. Then he heard his name announced for the first time as the team’s starting quarterback. The rest is likely just a blur.
The expectations couldn’t have been higher, but Allar produced what was maybe the most complete game of his sophomore year. What followed were ups and downs, highlights and lowlights. But the experience of a full season as a starter was immeasurable, in his opinion. And it only scratched the surface of what he and his teammates believe he’ll become this fall.
“I think I’m playing more comfortable now than I ever have been,” Allar said Wednesday.
The year of experience has helped Allar’s progression. And so has the presence of new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien. Allar’s anxious for another crack at the Mountaineers, who allowed him to throw for 325 yards and three touchdowns as an inexperienced starter last year.
Allar’s peers, like defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas, can only imagine what he has in store for the rematch and beyond.
“You guys will see it soon from that young kid who came in, had to take on the starting QB role at 19 years old. He’s really grown into the role as QB1 — just his leadership, his voice in the offensive room, how he carries the offense,” J-Thomas said. “You’ve seen it heavily throughout camp.”
Allar has shifted his focus toward one thing: winning. And he’s done everything he possibly can to help the Nittany Lions do just that. That means leaving his quiet demeanor behind and becoming a vocal leader. It also means logging off social media. So, if anyone has criticism toward him, they’ll have to say it to his face.
He knows that his fellow students won’t. They’ve been anything but hostile when they see him in the classroom or walking on campus. But that’s all part of the learning process for Allar. He now knows what it feels like to be a starting quarterback at a school that cares almost religiously about its football program.
“I remember Coach Franklin telling me to probably do that last year, and I was probably a little bit late to that,” Allar said of letting his agents handle his socials. “I don’t think you really realize what it’s like going through that until you actually go through that.”
Allar’s been through it all. He’s experienced big wins, like knocking off West Virginia or shutting out Iowa. And he’s dealt with even greater losses, Ohio State and Michigan being the deciding factors in yet another absence from the College Football Playoff. Now it’s about taking all he’s learned and translating it to production on the field.
The scouts will be watching as the NFL looms. But that’ll come. What lies directly in front of Allar is a contest against a team he previously dismantled. And he’ll enter that game the same way he did in his first as a starter. Recognize the crowd, soak it in, warm up and blur. Whatever happens, happens.
Don’t believe he’s ready for the next step? Just ask his teammates.
“If you have external expectations that are that high, can you imagine what the internal expectations you have for yourself are?” center Nick Dawkins said. “So now you kind of get that out of the way. You get your first year out of the way, and you kind of settle in. You know who your crowd is, you know the city layout. You kind of know what to expect. You can settle in and be more comfortable.
“And that’s exactly what I see from him — more comfortable, confident, mature, settling in, vocal. And I love to see it.”
