How Does Drew Allar Move Forward

We’re going to learn something about Drew Allar on Saturday. 

We will find out how Allar handles life after a loss. 

When Penn State suits up against Indiana on Saturday, the biggest story line will be the most obvious: How does Allar come back from his first career loss as a Penn State quarterback? 

And what Allar does with that lesson could be the most-telling part of how the rest of this season turns out. 

Saturday’s performance will likely not make Penn State’s season in the same fashion that last week’s performance against Ohio State could have a big say in it. But if Allar can prove that he can put the train back on the tracks – and do it well – then that should calm your nerves, my nerves and the Penn State locker room’s nerves. 

Against Ohio State, Allar, the Ohio-born five-star quarterback, was not what we were promised in the hype around him leading into the season.

Particularly in the first half, Allar looked jumpy, anxious and rattled. He completed just six passes on 17 attempts and made several incorrect reads. 

When Penn State came out in the second half, it was much of the same as he struggled on the day, finishing the afternoon going 18-for-42 with 191 yards. His struggles led to Penn State going 1-for-16 on third down, the stat that ultimately doomed the Nittany Lions. 

To his credit, the young leader put it on himself. Allar bluntly said he “sucked” in the 20-12 loss.

And while Allar was shouldering the blame, Penn State’s offensive play calling did not provide him the support that he needed. 

But that’s in the past now. 

It’s now time to move forward. 

How does Allar respond after his worst performance as a Penn State quarterback so far? 

That’s by far the most interesting aspect to Saturday’s game. 

It starts with his coaching staff putting him in a position to succeed but it’s also up to the 19-year-old to put the pieces back together. 

While he’s only had one relatively explosive game, Allar’s biggest and best trait has been his brain. He’s smart with the ball. He’s – until last weekend – very rarely made the wrong read. He doesn’t force throws.

And of course, he still hasn’t thrown his first pick. 

He understands how to play the quarterback position – maybe more than any other Penn State quarterback in the last 20 years. That needs to continue.

But how can he push himself over this bump? 

Part of it lies with those around him.

If Allar is as good as advertised, then he has to be the one helping elevate those receivers. Sure, they need to do a much better job at getting open but at times last weekend, Allar missed the open guy or put too much speed on a pass. Elite players elevate those around them.

Use Saturday to re-establish that connection in a game environment.

By using the now to put things back in place, Allar can set up bigger things later down the road.

But he has to be the one that can command the offense like he did in the third quarter of the Iowa game while also be the one to provide the explosiveness like he did on the first drive of the West Virginia game. 

And he has to make sure that he doesn’t let the moment get to him like he did in the Ohio State game. 

Fortunately for him, Indiana isn’t Ohio State. The Hoosiers are 2-5 this year with their only wins coming against Indiana State and then Akron in four overtimes. Tom Allen’s squad sits in 13th in points allowed per game in the Big Ten at 29.3.

Indiana has allowed 366 yards per game and allowed opposing QBs to have a passer rating of 134, also 13th in the Big Ten. 

The scheduling gods have been relatively kind to Penn State this year and Indiana will serve as another example of that. 

Much in the way Penn State gets a crack at two top five teams this season to prove something, the Lions — and Allar — get a crack to use games like Saturday to figure it out. 

And if Allar can learn the lessons of the past in games like the one upcoming, then we will find out more about the mettle of the five-star quarterback Penn State has so desperately needed. 

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