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It took Drew Allar a “long week” to get over the final pass of his junior season at Penn State.
Allar’s throw to Omari Evans was intercepted by Christian Gray, which led to Notre Dame’s game-winning field goal in the final seconds of the Orange Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal 3.5 months ago.
“I was just not in a good state that week after,” Allar said Tuesday in his first interview with reporters since the 27-24 loss to the Irish. “Once I stepped back into the weight room for this season, I was really able to flush it because I had something to look forward to.
“Everything started to click for me again. It was flushing all of that stuff but definitely learning from it.”
Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien said earlier this month that he and Allar watched the entire Orange Bowl about a week after the game “once it wasn’t quite as fresh.”
“He consumed it very well,” O’Brien said. “He’s very coachable. Once the emotion died down, you could get into the nitty gritty of footwork, eyes and keeping it simple within the framework of the play.
“Hopefully we can earn our way back there one game at a time.”
The return of Allar and several of his classmates for their senior year has raised Penn State’s hopes for the 2025 season.
Running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, offensive linemen Drew Shelton and Vega Ioane, defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley followed Allar’s lead and decided to come back.
Allar completed 66.5% of his passes last season for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions, finishing 13th in the nation in pass efficiency. He has a chance to end his career as the Nittany Lions’ career leader in touchdown passes, completion percentage and pass efficiency.
He’s experiencing his fourth spring practice.
“For me, it’s all about the process and finding different ways to get better,” he said. “The coaches do a great job giving us goals each practice, 1% goals for each practice. That has really helped me a ton because I know the offense pretty much inside and out.
“I’m really trying to refine my craft and become the best player that I can be for this team.”
Allar is working with two wide receivers from the transfer portal, Kyron Hudson from USC and Devonte Ross from Troy. The two made a combined 114 catches for 1,505 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
The performance of Penn State’s wide receivers has been subpar the last two years. They didn’t have one reception in the Orange Bowl. Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans, both regulars, ended up transferring.
“Kyron’s ability to make contested catches has been really cool to see,” Allar said. “We go up against a really good secondary every day. We talk through routes before and after practice.
“The same with Devonte. When you get the ball in Devonte’s hands, he can make a lot of guys miss in open space, which we need. He’s done a phenomenal job this spring.”
Veterans like Liam Clifford, Kaden Saunders and Anthony Ivey and younger players like Tyseer Denmark and Peter Gonzalez could push for playing time.
“They’re doing a really good job,” Allar said about the entire group. “I give a lot of credit to Coach K (offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki), Coach Hagans (wide receivers coach Marques Hagans) and Coach (James) Franklin with providing that room a lot of opportunity and giving them chances to improve themselves and prove themselves.”
Replacing tight end Tyler Warren and his 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns will be difficult. Khalil Dinkins has the most experience at the position, which includes Luke Reynolds, Andrew Rappleyea and Joey Schlaffer, the former Exeter star.
“That tight end room is special,” Allar said.
He’s working to be a special quarterback for Penn State this season.
“He’s grown every year,” O’Brien said. “We talk about the quarterback being the thermostat of the team and setting the tone, knowing when to crank it up and when to take a deep breath.
“The only way to do that is being in those big moments, having success and coming up short. He’s been there and done that.”
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Allar’s throw to Omari Evans was intercepted by Christian Gray, which led to Notre Dame’s game-winning field goal in the final seconds of the Orange Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal 3.5 months ago.
“I was just not in a good state that week after,” Allar said Tuesday in his first interview with reporters since the 27-24 loss to the Irish. “Once I stepped back into the weight room for this season, I was really able to flush it because I had something to look forward to.
“Everything started to click for me again. It was flushing all of that stuff but definitely learning from it.”
Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien said earlier this month that he and Allar watched the entire Orange Bowl about a week after the game “once it wasn’t quite as fresh.”
“He consumed it very well,” O’Brien said. “He’s very coachable. Once the emotion died down, you could get into the nitty gritty of footwork, eyes and keeping it simple within the framework of the play.
“Hopefully we can earn our way back there one game at a time.”
The return of Allar and several of his classmates for their senior year has raised Penn State’s hopes for the 2025 season.
Running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, offensive linemen Drew Shelton and Vega Ioane, defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley followed Allar’s lead and decided to come back.
Allar completed 66.5% of his passes last season for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions, finishing 13th in the nation in pass efficiency. He has a chance to end his career as the Nittany Lions’ career leader in touchdown passes, completion percentage and pass efficiency.
He’s experiencing his fourth spring practice.
“For me, it’s all about the process and finding different ways to get better,” he said. “The coaches do a great job giving us goals each practice, 1% goals for each practice. That has really helped me a ton because I know the offense pretty much inside and out.
“I’m really trying to refine my craft and become the best player that I can be for this team.”
Allar is working with two wide receivers from the transfer portal, Kyron Hudson from USC and Devonte Ross from Troy. The two made a combined 114 catches for 1,505 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
The performance of Penn State’s wide receivers has been subpar the last two years. They didn’t have one reception in the Orange Bowl. Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans, both regulars, ended up transferring.
“Kyron’s ability to make contested catches has been really cool to see,” Allar said. “We go up against a really good secondary every day. We talk through routes before and after practice.
“The same with Devonte. When you get the ball in Devonte’s hands, he can make a lot of guys miss in open space, which we need. He’s done a phenomenal job this spring.”
Veterans like Liam Clifford, Kaden Saunders and Anthony Ivey and younger players like Tyseer Denmark and Peter Gonzalez could push for playing time.
“They’re doing a really good job,” Allar said about the entire group. “I give a lot of credit to Coach K (offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki), Coach Hagans (wide receivers coach Marques Hagans) and Coach (James) Franklin with providing that room a lot of opportunity and giving them chances to improve themselves and prove themselves.”
Replacing tight end Tyler Warren and his 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns will be difficult. Khalil Dinkins has the most experience at the position, which includes Luke Reynolds, Andrew Rappleyea and Joey Schlaffer, the former Exeter star.
“That tight end room is special,” Allar said.
He’s working to be a special quarterback for Penn State this season.
“He’s grown every year,” O’Brien said. “We talk about the quarterback being the thermostat of the team and setting the tone, knowing when to crank it up and when to take a deep breath.
“The only way to do that is being in those big moments, having success and coming up short. He’s been there and done that.”
Continue reading...
