College Football: A Chance to Chase a Dream – Inside Drew Allar’s Decision to Return to Penn State
Updated Jul. 24, 2025 1:11 p.m. ET
By Michael Cohen, College Football and College Basketball Writer
LAS VEGAS — During the two-week period following Penn State’s loss to Oregon in the Big Ten Championship game last December and leading up to their College Football Playoff quarterfinal against SMU, star quarterback Drew Allar found himself at a crossroads. He was flooded with data and opinions as he contemplated whether to return for another season or declare for the NFL Draft. Some guidance came from head coach James Franklin, who had recruited Allar when he was an unheralded three-star prospect from Ohio, well before he became the top-rated quarterback in the 2022 recruiting cycle. Other inputs came from his agents, who helped him differentiate between rumors and the reality of what scouts and team executives really thought about his draft prospects. Allar took it all in.
“They did a great job giving me as much information as they could in a short time span, allowing me to make the most informed decision for myself on what I thought was best for me,” Allar said top online casino. “I definitely wanted that feedback because when you’re going into that decision, at least for me, I want to be as informed as possible, no matter if it’s good or bad. I want to know where I stand.”
Penn State head coach James Franklin speaks with Drew Allar #15 during the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Where Allar stood, according to his explanations, was far less certain than the rampant social media speculation swirling around him. Depending on his postseason performance — which ended with a loss to Notre Dame in the national semifinals — some outlets hinted that he could be a top pick due to a relatively thin pool of quarterbacks compared to the previous season where six were taken in the top 12. Allar had impressive career-highs in passing yards (3,327) and completion percentage (66.5%), along with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. However, the credible information that Allar received painted a much broader picture of where he could be drafted. Some teams viewed him as a potential franchise quarterback deserving of a high selection, while others thought his inconsistencies would push him to the middle rounds. There was too much ambiguity for Allar’s taste, leading him to inform Franklin and the coaches of his decision to return for another year, a choice he maintains was nearly 90% firm as he entered the College Football Playoff.
“It was kind of scattered, I guess, to pull that trigger,” Allar remarked. “I have a lot of things I want to accomplish here as a team and individually that I wanted one more go at.”
This brings us to Wednesday afternoon at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where Allar faced reporters at Big Ten Media Days as the conference’s top quarterback and the clear leader of a team predicted to win the league in several preseason polls. He is the centerpiece of Franklin’s claim that the Nittany Lions have “the best combined personnel we’ve ever had at Penn State,” following an offseason where many of Allar’s talented teammates — including running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen — chose to bypass the NFL Draft for one last season in college.
Allar’s dream scenario culminates with him leading Penn State to its first national title since 1986 and becoming the program’s first quarterback drafted in the opening round since Kerry Collins in 1995, almost a decade before Allar was born. A remarkable season could elevate the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Allar, now entering his third year as Franklin’s starter, into the discussion for the top overall pick alongside fellow quarterbacks Arch Manning of Texas and LaNorris Sellers from South Carolina, both of whom will still have eligibility left if they decide to remain in college. It’s not far-fetched to envision Allar, known for his strong physical attributes, accuracy, and ball security, as the Big Ten’s first No. 1 pick since former Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long in 2008. The last Big Ten quarterback to be selected first overall was former Illinois star Jeff George back in 1990 superph.com casino.
“Huge arm,” one senior NFL executive stated when I inquired about Allar this week. “Talented passer. Not overly mobile. He has physical potential but hasn’t put it all together yet. He’s certainly capable but needs a breakout year where his growth in the position is unmistakable.”
One area where Allar can improve significantly is in the downfield passing game, focusing on his willingness to take certain risks and his accuracy on long passes — challenges that were exacerbated by Penn State’s struggles to establish a strong receiving corps. Last season, Allar completed an impressive 81.2% of his passes on attempts that traveled fewer than 9 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. However, that number plummeted to 52 bk8 uv.2% for passes that went between 10 and 19 yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus, placing him 78th nationally among quarterbacks with at least 50 such attempts. Half of his eight interceptions occurred in this zone.
Penn State QB Drew Allar #15 reacts after throwing an interception during the fourth quarter against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Unfortunately for Allar, who won’t turn 22 until March, some of his most challenging performances have arisen during high-stakes moments, similar to his often-criticized coach. Allar remains winless in five games against top-10 power-conference opponents over the last two years — having lost twice to Ohio State and once each to Michigan, Oregon, and Notre Dame — with a completion percentage of just 49.3% in those games, approximately 13 points below his career average. He’s thrown nearly as many interceptions (four) as touchdowns (five) in those contests, and he has only surpassed 200 passing yards on one occasion.
“I’m very self-reflective about how I approach my process,” Allar shared. ccjili “Meeting with coaches and really diving deep into the throws that I missed or decisions I didn’t really pull the trigger on. 8k8 casino app login philippines Then, I try to understand why I did or didn’t do those things. It’s been a productive offseason working on that.”
While he avoided going into many specifics, Allar spoke broadly about the advantages of spending a second year with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, known as one of the more innovative minds in the sport; about the candid feedback he received from new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who had challenged Allar in his last two years at Ohio State; and about the significance of maintaining a level-headed approach after setbacks, a lesson he learned from reporter Tom Rinaldi of FOX Sports during their conversation about how elite golfers rebound from bogeys.
Drew Allar expressed his desire for the opportunity to play more football and pursue the prize that slipped away from Penn State last January, when a crucial interception with 33 seconds remaining against Notre Dame derailed their chance at a national championship game appearance. He is aware that the NFL will still be there waiting when he finishes at Penn State.
“Most people had him projected as a first-round draft choice last year,” Franklin stated, “and he decided to come back to school because of unfinished business as a team, but also for himself. I’m a big Drew fan. If you guys get a chance to be around him, you’ll feel the same way. He’s really what it’s all about.”
Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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