A polarizing affair. Some, like Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, reported from the Scouting Combine that some teams “actively encouraged” the Penn State Nittany Lions junior QB, Drew Allar to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Yet, we have few who say Allar “MUST” clean up his game. HC James Franklin and the boys made it to the playoffs. But sheer bad luck! Marcus Freeman’s squad left them to mere specks of dust in a 24-27 feat. As much as Penn State remains terrified of the word “orange” for a while, Allar can’t escape the horrors. One that won’t go away until he proves he can rise to the occasion.
These days passing for 3,327 yds with 24 TDs doesn’t save you from some critics. Drew Allar, with almost a lab built quarterback traits at 6’5”, 238 pounds, still needs to be reliable to be better in the Big Ten. He has the size, the arm talent, and the mobility that makes NFL scouts salivate. The jury inside the Big Ten, however, isn’t quite as patient. On The Ruffino & Joe Show, Joe DeLeone and Blake Ruffino broke down exactly why the junior quarterback must elevate his game. “Drew Allar has all the goods. He has every tool that you look for in a franchise quarterback, an elite college quarterback—big arm, big frame, deceptively mobile, right? He can move and make plays with his legs. And I think that Penn State should try to use him more as an athlete.” No one questions his raw ability. The problem is execution, and when you’re leading a playoff-caliber team, having the “tools” isn’t enough.
It’s the mental side of the game where the heat is turning up. “I need to see this year though with Drew Allar—I need to see him have better instincts. I need to see him make the big plays when the game is on the line,” Ruffino added. “Because the Orange Bowl and the way that he collapsed at the end of that game is still stuck in my head. Getting to see that in person—that is really lodged in the back of my head. When I think of Drew, I think of the two sides of him.” That very own Orange Bowl disaster isn’t going away. Completing just 12 passes, none to a wide receiver, in a three-point loss to Notre Dame cemented his reputation as a passer who crumbles in crunch time.
For Drew Allar, there are no more excuses in 2025. “To me, you know, there’s no Dylan Raiola here where we get to talk about, ‘Hey, he was young, he made mistakes, we’re banking on the upside.’ He’s got two years as a starter. This is the year where he can’t pull that BS. He can’t pull the ‘Hey, I’m the young guy who’s getting better every week.’ No, man. It’s do or die. You need to show the improvements. You need to show that you can eventually become a quality player and you’re not just going to be Daniel Jones—the big athlete who can’t make the right decisions and turns the ball over in crucial situations.” And frankly, it’s hard to argue. Gone are the days for the PSU’s returning QB1 of getting that freshman grace.
Meanwhile, James Franklin faces his own set of spring headaches. Losing top wideouts Trey Wallace and Omari Evans to the portal seemed like a death sentence for Penn State’s passing attack, but insiders aren’t buying the panic. Sean Fitz of Sports Illustrated has pushed back on the idea that the Nittany Lions’ receiver room is a “mess.” And for good reason.
Franklin went aggressive in the portal, landing former USC wide receiver Kyron Hudson and former Troy pass-catcher Devonte Ross. The duo should provide Allar with the weapons he desperately lacked against ND where PSU’s receiver corps failed to record a single catch. Still, chemistry doesn’t happen overnight, and Penn State’s spring practices will be crucial in determining if this offense can find its rhythm before the season kicks off.
There’s no doubt that the pieces are there. The defense remains elite. The offensive line is solid. The schedule, while daunting, is manageable. But everything comes back to one question—can Drew Allar take the next step?
Drew Allar’s Struggles? Franklin’s Whole Receiving Brigade Need Help
Sure, Drew Allar’s turnover count jumped from 2 in his freshman year to 8 last season, and yes, eight is way too many. But is that the real issue? Or is it something deeper? When Penn State faced Notre Dame, the postgame talk wasn’t just about Allar’s mistakes—it was about the complete lack of separation from his wide receivers. “What were we talking about at the end of Penn State-Notre Dame? Was it Drew Allar or was it that receivers could not get any separation whatsoever? That is an issue.” Ruffino said.
It wasn’t just a one-game problem either. Against USC, Allar threw three or four picks, but it’s hard to blame the guy when his best target was tight end Tyler Warren and his running backs. When your outside weapons can’t create space, the QB has to force tight-window throws, and that’s how turnovers pile up.
Franklin is yet to give Allar a top 100 receiver in college football, let alone a top 50. That’s a brutal reality for a team that wants to contend. So yes, Allar needs to clean up his mistakes, but if Penn State’s receiving corps doesn’t step up, expect more of the same in 2025.
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