What's the Matter With Penn State's Offense?

In 2024, Penn State was a run-first offense. It wore out defenses on the ground, allowing quarterback Drew Allar to punish them with play-action passes. The offense played through the run game.

Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki have tried to retain that identity this year, but the results have been quite different. Just one year after leading the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (202.3), the Nittany Lions are ninth (180 ypg) with practically the same personnel. Penn State’s running backs rushed for just 75 yards (3.26 per carry) against Oregon.

Franklin said after the loss that Penn State faced obvious passing downs too often, specifically in the first three quarters. That’s because the Nittany Lions averaged 3.6 yards per carry on first down. The Ducks averaged 5.6. 

Further, Penn State gave its top runner, Kaytron Allen, just four first-half carries. Something has to give. Penn State either must get productive in the run game or find a new identity. 

To continue, Kotelnicki’s playcalling and Allar’s skills aren’t meshing this season. Allar (6-5, 235 pounds) is a prototypical gunslinger with solid pocket presence and immense arm talent. However, Kotelnicki schemed one pass for Allar that exceeded 20 yards against Oregon. And Penn State’s quarterback ranks 15th in the Big Ten in completions of 20+ yards.

The Oregon game plan didn’t match Allar’s strengths, and Oregon took advantage. 

Drew Allar has been inconsistent for too long

As a junior, Allar completed passes at a career-high rate of 66.5 percent. His completion rate was 65 percent or better in 10 of 12 regular-season games. But since the 2024 regular-season finale against Maryland, Allar has been on a downward trend.

He hasn't completed 60 percent of his passes in seven of his last eight games, including all four postseason games last year and the loss to Oregon (56 percent). As Franklin said, “You can’t have bad statistics and expect that to lead to a positive result.”

“That trend can’t sustain, obviously,” Franklin said. “We have to make sure that we're not in … obvious passing downs where we don't have clean pockets, don't have open receivers. We’ve got to make sure we're putting him in the best position possible. There are some easier throws that we can find for him, whether it is quick game, screens, whether it's move the pocket, that we have to be able to do in these games to get him going like most quarterbacks.”

Allar is averaging the fewest passing yards per game in his career (190.8), and Kotelnicki is showing a lack of trust in his quarterback to air it out. For context, on a 3rd-and-9 play in Oregon territory, Kotelnicki called a quarterback draw. After a one-yard gain, Penn State punted.

That lack of trust seems to derive from Allar’s Jekyll and Hyde play. Franklin said that he sees flashes of brilliance from his quarterback and the offense and then inconsistency, which is true. The growth Franklin is seeing in practice isn’t translating to the field. And the Nittany Lions need it to translate fast.

The offensive line has been a surprising disappointment

What was considered one of Penn State’s preseason strengths has been more of a weakness. That might be the most surprising aspect of Penn State’s offensive struggles.

Oregon sacked Allar twice and made five tackles for loss (four more than the Nittany Lions) on Saturday. The Nittany Lions totaled just 276 yards of offense vs. Oregon, their lowest number since last year’s Ohio State game. And according to Pro Football Focus, not one offensive lineman graded above a 61.0 against the Ducks. 

“I think our O-line, like a lot of things on offense right now, were inconsistent,” Franklin said. “There are times where we look really good, times where we don't. That's pretty much across the board on offense right now, inconsistent.” 

The group has struggled with run blocking, particularly against the Ducks. Oregon clogged the middle and stuffed runs, which specifically hindered running back Nicholas Singleton. He averaged 1.9 yards per carry against Oregon.  

“And until you're able to establish the running game, which we were able to do late in the game, which opened everything up from that point on, we have not been able to do it consistently,” Franklin said. “The O-line has, like a lot of things on offense, just not been as consistent, and that's really been all year so far.” 

The offense looks for a timeline

How quickly can Penn State turn around its offense? Franklin was noncommittal, though he made a comparison to the Philadelphia Eagles’ run game, which ranks 29th in the NFL in yards per carry.

“The fortunate thing for the Eagles is, they've been able to do that and do that through winning,” Franklin said. “For us, we've been able to win up to last weekend, so then all these things become magnified. Now we're sitting here answering these questions.

“So to answer your question: I think we could make a few plays, we could get a couple big runs, and the lights go on and the energy’s good and the momentum is good and we start to roll. Or we could grind through it. The reality is, we're going to do whatever we have to do to win games. It may be pretty, and I may be in here next week answering questions and it was a thing of beauty that got a win. Or it could be painful and ugly. But if it gets a win, that's what we're going to do.”