Penn State Quarterback Drew Allar and the Value of Loyalty
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Drew Allar, the Penn State freshman quarterback, demonstrated an ability to make "some big-time throws" during spring practice. And before that, Penn State coach James Franklin said, Allar demonstrated his loyalty to the program.
"There's a lot of things to be excited about with Drew," Franklin said.
Franklin hasn't been shy about rating his 2022 freshman class as a high-performing group that could contribute early. At Big Ten Media Days, Franklin said that the class, along with the incoming transfers, presents more ready-to-play players than he has seen in several years.
Whether Allar joins that group remains to be seen. He enrolled early and made an impact on Penn State's offense during spring drills. Allar also has bulked up significantly since arriving in State College. Penn State listed the quarterback at 6-5, 225 pounds in his signing bio last December. The current roster lists him at 6-5, 242 pounds.
Allar also is part of a deeper quarterback group this season behind Sean Clifford that includes returner Christian Veilleux and fellow true freshman Beau Pribula. Franklin said that Allar established a foundation during spring drills that would allow him to compete for a role during camp.
But as important, Allar established his relationship with Franklin long before enrolling. Allar committed to Penn State in March 2021, at a time when he was considered one of the more underrated quarterbacks of the 2022 recruiting class.
That changed as Allar attended the Elite 11 Finals, had a huge senior season and became a top-five quarterback in the class.
Though the recruiting process didn't truly end until Signing Day — Ohio State offered a scholarship last September — Allar remained committed. Further, the quarterback and his family kept Franklin informed when other coaches called.
"He and his family handled the process extremely well," Franklin said. "... They gave us their word when he committed and stayed true to it. Although his recruiting profile maybe changed a bit, we viewed him that way the whole time. And he has done all the right things since he got on campus."
Franklin wanted that point known about loyalty. Allar and his fellow freshmen could be in a unique position as the first recruiting class allowed unlimited transfers during their careers.
"It just speaks to his character and his family's character that, once they gave us their word, they stayed loyal to that and never really ever wavered," Franklin said. "It's funny that, as other offers came in, they'd call us all the time and say, 'Hey, just want you to know that this offer came in and this coach tried to talk to us.' They handled it phenomenally."
Franklin already has to re-recruit his roster every year and leans on loyalty as a decision-making guide for both parties. Might as well turn that into part of his recruiting pitch.
"But I also say, let's be honest that commitment and that loyalty are a two-way street," Franklin said. "We see some institutions that drop guys right before Signing Day because they find someone they think is better. But then they get upset when a player does it to them. To me, that's something that recruits and high school coaches and parents should look at.
"They say, 'That's not going to happen to my son.' Well, you should look at that. Because I'd like to think that if you're asking for for loyalty to you or a commitment to you, then it should be reciprocated."
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
