Drew Allar Begins Final Chapter at Penn State … This One is Personal

I’m pretty sure by now everyone reading this remembers what happened next, so I’ll spare you the pain of reliving it if you bleed blue and white.

Unfortunately Allar hasn’t been as fortunate, as I’m sure he’s relived it every day since he let go of that ill-fated pass in the closing moments of Penn State’s heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame that not only ended the Nittany Lions’ season, it cast a shadow over what had otherwise been a breakout year for the junior quarterback.

In the aftermath, Allar faced waves of harsh criticism from all, national talking heads, local doubters, fellow students, message board cynics etc.  Some even questioned his NFL readiness.

But instead of running from the noise, Drew Allar chose to run it back.

The former five-star signal-caller announced a couple months ago that he would be returning for his senior season in 2025, opting to forgo the NFL Draft for a final shot at glory in Beaver Stadium.  Make no mistake – this isn’t just about unfinished business.  It’s about legacy, growth, and redemption.

How Drew Allar and Penn State Football Can Make Giant Leap Together in 2025

The Kotelnicki Effect

Allar’s development under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki was one of the quiet success stories of 2024.

After an up-and-down sophomore campaign that saw him complete just under 60% of his throws, Allar leveled up last season, raising his completion rate to 66.5%, while throwing for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns against just 8 interceptions.

Kotelnicki’s system gave Allar room to grow as a true field general.

Allar made better pre-snap reads, worked through progressions more cleanly, and showed a newfound poise in the pocket. The arm talent was always there, but now, the football IQ and field vision are catching up.

Still, there’s one glaring void on his résumé: signature wins.

Big Game Hunting

Despite Penn State being ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s post-spring Top 25, the pressure will be sky-high for Allar to finally deliver in marquee moments, especially against top-ranked opponents like Oregon (Sept. 27) and Ohio State (Nov. 1). Those are the games that have eluded him. Those are the games that define legacies.

Pro scouts love his size, arm strength, and flashes of pro-level decision-making. But they’ll be watching this fall to see if Allar can elevate when the lights burn brightest, something he didn’t do against Notre Dame, Michigan, or Ohio State last season.

That Notre Dame pick still stings. It should. Because it’s that moment, that heartbreak, that might just trigger a redemption arc the likes of which Penn State hasn’t seen since Kerry Collins.

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Drew Allar Goes All-in on Himself

Allar could’ve declared. He likely would’ve been a Day 2 pick in a thin 2025 quarterback class that only saw two first-rounders selected. But instead, he bet on himself. He bet on Kotelnicki. And most importantly, he bet on Penn State.

Now, Allar returns as one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class, alongside names like Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), and yes, everybody’s favorite “Air-Apparent”, Texas’ Arch Manning.

But Allar’s not thinking about next April.

Not yet.

He’s thinking about Saturdays in Beaver Stadium, about erasing doubt, about writing and rewriting the end of his story, his legacy, not with a pick, but with a championship drive.

It’s that kind of mindset that should have every Penn State fan on the planet fired up and ready to rock.

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