Penn State finally found the solution to unlocking Drew Allar as James Franklin and company destroy Nevada
Kyron Hudson and Trebor Pena combine for perfect duo at wide receiver for Penn State
Penn State famously failed to complete a pass to a wide receiver in their final game of last season in the College Football Playoff as they lost to Notre Dame, but that certainly won’t be an issue again in 2025.
James Franklin and his staff made it a point to fix that one massive issue on offense this offseason by adding a trio of transfer wide receivers in Kyron Hudson (USC), Trebor Pena (Syracuse), and Devonte Ross (Troy). That paid off immediately on Saturday in Penn State’s complete destruction of Nevada as Drew Allar’s upside looked fully (and finally) unlocked.
Kyron Hudson and Trebor Pena prove to be exactly what Drew Allar needs to take Penn State to next level
The running game was as dominant as ever with Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen both finding the end zone and amassing at least 45 yards from scrimmage, but it was the wide receiver duo of Kyron Hudson and Trebor Pena that stole the show.
Both Hudson and Pena were targeted eight times throughout the game. Both of them racked up at least 87 total yards. Any time Allar needed to make a big play it was one of those two wide receivers he called upon, and they cashed in big time on nearly every target.
One of the best examples came when Penn State was trying to score in a two-minute drill situation just before halftime. It was Hudson who made one of the best plays of the game, adjusting to a well placed throw from Allar for a touchdown (as you can see in the post below).
Hudson went on to make a handful of other impressive plays too, but it wasn’t just all his show. Penn State made sure to get Trebor Pena involved early and often, even getting him involved in the run game (in post below).
Pena wasn’t as dynamically impressive with his ball skills, but he proved to be the reliable chain mover and gadget player that Penn State needed to keep most every drive on schedule.
If there was any doubt remaining as to the impact of the new wide receiver acquisitions paying off as the game progressed into its later stages, Kyron Hudson silenced any of those when he made an absolutely ridiculous sideline grab on a pass from Allar.
Allar threw the ball far outside, and initially it looked as though Hudson may have been out of bounds when he caught the ball. However, upon taking a closer look it became clear that Hudson made an unbelievable adjustment, catching the ball well outside of his frame, toe-tapping just before falling out of bounds (as you can see below).
It was refreshing to see pass catchers for Penn State actually be able to create their own separation and haul in passes that require any amount of ball skills. As Nittany Lions fans know all too well, baseline competence was a rarity last year from any wide receiver on Penn State’s roster. It’s different now.
Allar finished the contest against Nevada completing 22 of his 26 passes, averaging nearly eight and a half yards per pass attempt, showcasing high level efficiency, accuracy, and execution throughout. It’s clear that having multiple game-changing wide receivers is already paying off. If he continues to gel with his new weapons then Penn State may just have enough to carry their offense to the national championship game this year.
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