Drew Allar continues to prove he’s not the guy for Penn State in the most painful ways possible and there’s little hope for improvement
It’s always something with Drew Allar.
Saturday night was supposed to be the night for the Penn State Nittany Lions to finally take the step forward they desperately needed.
Head coach James Franklin and quarterback Drew Allar had the chance to overcome their loss to the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship Game from last December. Not only that, but the Nittany Lions got the Ducks at home in the ever-popular whiteout game. The atmosphere was electric and had a major impact on the Ducks at times. They could have righted all the wrongs of the past and showed they were ready for the next level.
All that being said, it wasn’t enough, and Allar proved once again he couldn’t handle the big stage.
Drew Allar continues to falter in the biggest moments
With 12:25 left in the fourth quarter, Jordan Davison scored to put the Ducks up 17-3 and Happy Valley felt deflated. This is where Allar needed to step up, and to his credit, he did. Allar led the Nittany Lions to a touchdown drive that lasted just four plays and covered 75 yards. He laid out a beautiful pass to Devonte Ross.
That’s where his brilliance ended. Allar threw for 59 of his 137 passing yards in that drive. In the final drive and overtime, Allar threw for just 21 yards. In fairness, he did break two 20-yard runs in a game-tying drive, but you could tell that Allar wasn’t doing a good job in reading the field, something he struggled with the entire game.
Once overtime hit, the ground game took over for the Nittany Lions, as senior running back Kaytron Allen got the touchdown. The Ducks responded with two touchdowns, but quarterback Dante Moore threw an interception to Dani Denis-Sutton on the two-point conversion attempt, giving Allar the chance to win the game.
It only took one play to seal the fate of the Nittany Lions and Allar’s fate in the pantheon of college football.
It’s a simple concept that teams run often at the college level: fake screen with a post-wheel route combination. It’s designed to open up the wheel route up the sidelines. What Allar didn’t expect was safety Dillon Thieneman to get depth in the flat, and he was able to jump and get the game-winning interception.
This is a mistake that a freshman quarterback would make, yet Allar in year three as the starter, is making it. This is the guy who is supposed to go top-ten in the NFL Draft? He continues to make the big mistake at the absolute worst times. He threw an interception in the College Football Playoff semifinals against Notre Dame, and it led to the game-winning field goal.
This isn’t just a one or two-time thing. Allar doesn’t play his best football when he’s needed. He finds a way to turtle and put the Nittany Lions in the loss column. Whether it be a game-breaking interception, making poor decisions, or failing to read the defense, it’s always something. He’s a big reason why Franklin is now 4-21 in games against top 10 opponents. It’s inexcusable for a player who has the ability and experience of Allar to continue making these kinds of mistakes.
As Penn State looks to rebound, Allar needs to look long and hard at where he is and how he can improve. If he doesn’t figure out how to take that next step, this team will be one of the biggest underachievers in some time.
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