Drew Allar Teases Some New Tools at Penn State's Blue-White Game
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STATE COLLEGE | Of the passing skills Drew Allar could wield in Penn State's offense, the sidearm throw isn't necessarily the tool he most wants to sharpen. Yet there he was Saturday at the Blue-White Game, slinging a nearly underhand completion to receiver Kaden Saunders that drew gasps.
"Yeah I saw it," Penn State coach James Franklin said afterward. "I was standing right behind it."
It's these moments, in addition to the classical traits the 6-5 sophomore quarterback brings to the offense, that has Penn State lifting expectations of its passing game in 2023. And though Franklin wants to ride those expectations with everyone else, he's acting as the perpetual ground wire of an offense that could be quite electric.
"We can't throw enough," Franklin said. "Our quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, we cannot throw enough all summer."
Allar will lead those sessions, brimming with an enthusiastic appetite to throw, an arm he's eager to test and an understanding of Penn State's offense that is growing stronger each day.
Allar was inconsistent Saturday at Beaver Stadium, completing 19 of 30 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. He demonstrated too much fastball on some throws, particularly slants, and showed some erratic timing of other throws.
But Allar also showed that he's building on the promise of a freshman season in which he threw one of the best passes by any quarterback (a dropped ball in the opener vs. Purdue) and graded highly for his situational poise, particularly in that opener.
Of his highlight plays Saturday, this one stood out. As did his explanation.
With freshman linebacker Ta'Mere Robinson in his face, Allar slung a sidearm pass to Saunders for a short game with big implications. If he's able to corral his arm strength and accuracy in Penn State's offense and mix in these kinds of plays as well, Allar quickly could become a weapon.
The move, he said, was instinctual. A former baseball player, Allar had experience turning double plays from shortstop or third base or slinging a ball to first. So he just goes there when necessary.
But Allar isn't training for these moments. He doesn't practice sidearm throws specifically but does drill what he calls the offense's "30 percent."
"I would say every quarterback needs to train it," Allar said Saturday. "Seventy percent of the game, you're going to be clean in the pocket, especially with the offensive line we have. You're going to be able to stand back there and go through your progressions really cleanly.
"But the other 30 percent is really where you can turn nothing into something and create more explosives for the offense. I do take pride in it, but I'd rather focus on the fundamentals that are going to make up the 70 percent."
Elsewhere, Allar made some really sharp reads and throws, several to Omari Evans. He made a nice look-back read to find a wide-open Evans on the game's only touchdown pass and held his ground in a collapsing pocket to find Kaden Saunders for 17 yards.
Allar said he'll do plenty more of that this summer. Franklin left the offense with his parting recommendation about not being about to throw enough. Allar said he and the quarterbacks are taking that as a challenge.
Last summer, while its weight room was under renovation, players lifted in Holuba Hall, reducing their ability to throw much in there. This summer, the building is empty, which means Allar plans to book it often for passing drills and player-run 7-on-7 practices. "We won't have any problems getting people there," he said.
"[Franklin] knows how good we can be, and we know how good we can be in the pass game, but we’re not there right now," Allar said. "We got a lot better through the spring. This summer is going to be huge for us. Everybody is willing to buy into it. I'm really looking forward to summer workouts and getting our chemistry down."
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