The status of No. 3 Penn State’s starting quarterback Drew Allar is still up in the air ahead of a pivotal matchup with No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday. Allar sustained an apparent leg injury in the first half of a 28-13 win at Wisconsin this past weekend, and was replaced by backup Beau Pribula at halftime.
While it’s unclear whether Allar will play against the Buckeyes, it should be a promising sign for the Nittany Lions that James Franklin plans to have him practice alongside Pribula throughout the week in preparation for a potential return on Saturday.
“I think he’s played enough football for us that the timeline will go all the way up to the game,” Franklin said on Monday. “I do think, from a practice perspective, no matter where we’re at on Tuesday, we’re going to have to get both of those guys reps Tuesday and Wednesday. But it’s just too early to tell at this point.”
If Allar is unable to play this weekend, Pribula would almost certainly get the start and true freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer would serve as his backup. Pribula completed 11-of-13 pass attempts for 98 yards and a touchdown and took six carries for 28 rushing yards in Penn State’s comeback win over the Badgers, who held a 10-7 advantage at halftime.
Franklin, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien will closely monitor Allar’s health throughout the week before making a decision closer to kickoff.
“The reality is, we’re going to have to have both guys ready. And you could even make the argument, all three guys ready, which is challenging to do in a game week, is to try to get all those guys ready,” Franklin said. “So, I’ve had some conversations with Danny and Andy about that already. We’ll continue to have conversations about it.”
Dennis-Sutton also ruled game-time decision
Allar wasn’t the only starter to exit with an injury at Wisconsin. Dani Dennis-Sutton, one of the Nittany Lions’ starting defensive ends, sustained an apparent groin injury in the second quarter and left the game after playing one uncomfortable snap after halftime. He has also been ruled a game-time decision ahead of the Ohio State game.
Dennis-Sutton ranks second on the team with four tackles for loss, two sacks and three pass deflections. His availability could be a major boost against a Buckeyes’ offensive line that has struggled in recent weeks, especially in a narrow 21-17 win over Nebraska on Saturday. If Dennis-Sutton is unable to play, either Smith Vilbert or Amin Vanover will likely start instead.
“Dani will have the ability to play this game,” Franklin said. “He’s played a ton of football. He’s super mature, very intelligent, he’s thoughtful, he’s hard working. He’s been in the training room the last two days, every time I’ve gone down there. So, same thing. We’ll go right up to the game time to see where we’re at with things. If he’s able to go, he’ll go. But if not, we have, we have a ton of confidence in those other guys, as well.”
‘Too early to say’ on Donkoh’s return
One of the major surprises of Penn State’s offense this season, starting right tackle Anthony Donkoh was also injured in the first half against the Badgers, putting his status in question ahead of the meeting with the Buckeyes. Donkoh, a redshirt freshman, has established himself as a key run blocker over seven starts in 2024.
Given Donkoh’s youth, Franklin said he wouldn’t put him in the “same category” as Allar or Dennis-Sutton in terms of a timeline for return. Franklin said there’s a “maturation process” when a player is determining what and should they play through. If Donkoh is unable to play or is limited, Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci would likely make his first start as a Nittany Lion.
“I think Donkoh is working through that right now,” Franklin said. “This week will be really important. He’s a great kid. He’s a smart kid. He was in the training room when I left — him and Rucci. So we expect to play both of those guys. But it’s too early to say.”