Defying expectations, Drew Allar shocked Penn State and the NFL, forgoing the 2025 draft to return for another season. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound quarterback, though he faltered late in the season with three sub-172-yard games and just 13 completions, still led the Nittany Lions to the CFP semifinals. Despite these struggles, Allar remained a highly touted prospect but chose to bet on himself and coach James Franklin, aiming for a national championship. Now, Franklin’s 1,655-yard weapon is hitching his wagon to Drew’s star.

But who’s this 1,655-yard weapon? Well, it’s 5’10, 170-pound wideout Devonte Ross, who was a tough matchup for most defenses last season. This guy caught 76 passes for 1,043 yards with 11 TDs. Not only did he produce four games with 100 or more receiving yards, but he also had a 229-yard day against Florida A&M. Ross’s 3-TD masterstroke caught the eyes of James Franklin and the team against Iowa State. And cut to next: he is on his way to becoming an explosive cannon for not just Penn State but also for Drew Allar.

And even Devonte Ross is pretty excited to make this partnership work this season and loves Drew’s gameplay. Praising him on Locked on Nittany Lions, he said, “I was, you know, considering coming here. I watched, obviously, the playoffs and things like that, so I always knew Drew was an amazing quarterback, you know, being college football, so I wanted to play for a quarterback, you know, like Drew, someone who can throw the ball, you know, a great person, and, you know.” 

Well, Ross is right. Drew Allar sure is amazing. This guy had an exceptional run last season. Drew finished the regular season with a 71.6 completion rate, ranking 5th nationally, and a 167.5 passer efficiency rating, ranking 7th. That shows the kind of caliber Drew has within himself. Then, let’s talk stats for a while. He threw for 3,327 yards with just eight interceptions and 24 touchdowns with a completion rate of 66.5%. And now, with Devonte Ross on his team, Drew and Penn State’s game will only elevate.

And James Franklin made sure it’s not just Ross who will face the pressure; he even acquired USC Trojan Kyron Hudson. But the question is, will they be able to give Penn State a playoff run? Answering that, On3 analyst Andy Staples said ”Here is history for a guy going from Troy to a Big Ten school and is the best receiver now. He was the best receiver to a PAC-12 school first, but TZ Johnson is going to Oregon from Troy, worked out pretty well for Devonte Ross.” So it looks like things might turn for good.

However, James Franklin still believes there’s room for improvement for Drew Allar, as he said, “He needs to take another step this year, which we think he’s done every year he’s been here,” Franklin said. “He needs to take another step when it comes to his mobility. He needs to take another step when it comes to his leadership. He needs to take another step in it terms of his completion percentage. Needs to take another step in terms of his touchdown-interception ratio. It’s really all of it. 

But despite having a great regular season and an overall impressive run, why is Franklin skeptical of Drew Allar? The answer is simple: his off-season gameplay, where in four games, he didn’t complete 60% of his passes, and his efficiency rate didn’t top 150. And apart from that, his big mistake took away their playoff hopes.

Drew Allar’s alarming past sent shockwaves to James Franklin

Despite a strong overall performance at Penn State, Drew Allar faced some adversity last season. Over two seasons, he amassed impressive numbers—49 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions—yet his struggles against Ohio State, Michigan, and particularly Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl drew scrutiny. A late interception in the bowl game directly led to Notre Dame’s winning field goal, leaving Allar visibly emotional afterward. This guy went 12 for 23 for 135 yards with no touchdowns, and that sure is concerning.

And it wasn’t just a toll on Penn State’s natty hopes, but the loss proved mentally challenging for Drew Allar, too. Eventually, he regained his composure, but acknowledging the immediate aftermath was difficult. “Yeah, I mean that it was a long week for sure, just with how everything happened (vs. Notre Dame), just a lot of stuff that, you know, was out of my control,” Allar said. “I was just not in a good state for that week after.” Despite that, Allar makes his move.

This fall, Penn State anticipates a high-powered offense led by quarterback Drew Allar, supported by running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton. Despite Tyler Warren’s departure to the NFL, the Nittany Lions are confident in their remaining players. Allar credits his return to the weight room with helping him move past last season. “Honestly, once I stepped back in the weight room for this season, like two or three weeks after that game, you know, I was really able to flush it at that point because I had something to, you know, really look forward to and build off of.”

Now, Penn State’s offense will rely heavily on its tight ends to compensate for Warren’s loss, a prospect Allar finds reassuring. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki emphasizes that the team’s success hinges on the players, not just the offensive scheme. “So, for us offensively, you know, ‘Coach K’ always talks about it’s the players that make the offense; it’s not really the system,” said Allar. “So, you know, finding out who are our best players and who is going to get those touches.”

And Drew Allar made it clear that he sees a bright future for veterans like Khalil Dinkins and rising stars such as Luke Reynolds. He lauded Dinkins’ blocking skills and Reynolds’ potential as a complete tight end. “That tight end room, it’s a really special room. I think we saw it last year a little bit. Khalil Dinkins, I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he did for us last year. He’s one of the best blocking tight ends in the country in both run and pass games. And then also Luke, I mean, Luke’s going to be a really good player for us.”

So, it all comes down to Drew Allar’s consistency and the team’s effectiveness, which will be key factors in his performance.