Heading into the 2025 season, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is arguably the most polarizing player in college football. Some believe he’s a future first-round pick who can lead the Nittany Lions to a national title, while others see him as an average talent who can’t elevate the offense.
Fortunately for Allar, head coach James Franklin has complete confidence in him. Still, one analyst outlines what Allar must do this season to silence his critics.
James Franklin Backs Drew Allar as Analyst Shares Key Advice for Penn State QB
Penn State HC James Franklin had some high praise for his quarterback at Big Ten Media Days.
In an interview on the “Cover 3 Podcast,” the Nottany Lions coach explained that he believes his quarterback will be one of the nation’s best in 2025.
“I think he’s going to take a significant step this year, and I’m proud of him,” Franklin said. “I think he’s the best in the country.”
It’s always good for a quarterback to have his coach’s confidence, but unfortunately, many others don’t share that view about Allar. Despite helping the Nittany Lions reach the College Football Playoff semifinal last season, the young quarterback faced heavy criticism for his performance in the team’s loss to Notre Dame.
CBS Sports’ Danny Kannell recently broke down what Allar needs to do to silence those critics in 2025.
“It’s pretty simple for Drew Allar,” Kannell said. “He has to step up on the big stages, because that’s where he’s played the smallest.”
Kannell’s criticism is fair. The Penn State quarterback struggled in the team’s biggest games last season.
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In the loss to Ohio State, Allar completed 12-of-20 passes for 146 yards and threw one interception. His performance in the Big Ten Championship game against Oregon was also shaky, going 20-of-39 for 226 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in the loss.
Then, in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame, Allar struggled again, completing 12 of 23 passes for 135 yards and throwing a game-ending interception with 33 seconds left.
Notre Dame picks off Drew Allar late in the fourth 😳 pic.twitter.com/F0SZvM5fFa
— ESPN (@espn) January 10, 2025
To live up to Franklin’s claim that he is the best quarterback in the country, Allar will need to perform in the biggest moments against the team’s toughest opponents this season.
Penn State is widely regarded as one of the nation’s best teams heading into 2025, and if Allar shines against the top teams, they have a real chance to win a national title.
Penn State faces Oregon at home on September 27 and travels to Ohio State on November 1. If Allar performs well in those games, his critics will have no choice but to change their tune about the young quarterback.
