UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - It didn't take Penn State sophomore quarterback Drew Allar long to showcase his special talents on the biggest stage in college football on Saturday night. On just the fourth offensive play of the 2023 season, Allar maneuvered the pocket and fired a dart downfield to junior wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who escaped one defender and easily reached the end zone for a 72-yard touchdown.
Making his first career start, under the bright lights in Happy Valley, Allar channeled his anxious feelings and turned those into elite-level production by spreading the ball around and playing with poise.
"Obviously, it was really good for us as a whole offense to get off to a fast start," Allar said. "That's one of our points of emphasis throughout the week is a fast start, getting points on the board with our first drive, specifically touchdowns. It didn't matter if it was a passing touchdown or a rushing touchdown, it just matters that we got that touchdown to start the game."
Controlling the play with confidence and command in the pocket, the Medina, Ohio, product made dynamic plays on the run and allowed his receivers to make key plays. When the dust settled on a 38-15 Penn State win, Allar finished with 325 passing yards and three touchdowns.
The pitch-and-catch of Allar to Lambert-Smith was a consistent theme throughout the game as the latter emulated his performance from the 2023 Rose Bowl. Midway through the third quarter Allar showed great touch, floating a 12-yard touchdown to Lambert-Smith to extend the Nittany Lions lead to two scores for the first time in the contest.
With Allar taking the reins as the starter, Lambert-Smith recognized how he's excited to keep working with the rosy-cheeked quarterback.
"With his size, he can take a lot of hits and make a lot of tough passes and tough plays," Lambert-Smith said. "Drew's a great quarterback and we're ready to continue the season with him."
Posting 124 receiving yards in the Rose Bowl game last season, the Norfolk, Virginia, native came one yard shy of tying his single-game high in the Saturday night clash with the Mountaineers.
Relying on his veteran wide receivers played a crucial role in the contest for Allar as the first-time starter was met with an enhanced level of speed and aggressiveness from an athletic and fast West Virginia defense.
Dialing up many cover zero defenses and blitz packages forced Allar to move around the pocket and despite being sacked once, Allar knew he was prepared for anything the defense threw his way. Navigating a tough defense, Allar didn't care about his personal success.
"As a quarterback, the only stats I really care about are the wins at the end of the day," Allar said. "To beat a team like West Virginia at home and in a great environment was definitely really cool, especially being my first start."
Head coach James Franklin said that he was "very pleased" with Allar and was impressed with Allar's ability to control the game despite making his debut as a starting quarterback. As acknowledged by Franklin, Allar became the first quarterback to achieve 300 or more yards in an opener since 2014.
Holding a 6-foot-5, 242 pound frame, Allar poses a unique ability to change arm angles and speeds. With agility, speed and a strong understanding of the pocket and would-be tacklers, Allar was able to escape blitzes and make plays all over the field, aspects that Franklin recognized as noticeable during the 23-point victory.
"I thought he did a really good job of managing the game from a decision-making standpoint," Franklin said. "He was extremely poised, like we've talked about in the past, he's mobile for a big guy and does a great job of climbing in the pocket and keeping his eyes up, so I was very pleased. Then, on top of that, we were able to spread the ball around."
Dating back to the spring, Allar began to mold better relationships with his wide receivers, learning the tendencies and habits of his playmakers. With that, Allar was able to build trust and belief in his wideouts, allowing the sophomore to move the ball with ease and efficiency.
Recording a 25-yard passing touchdown to junior Malik McClain and recording nine passes of 15 yards or more, Allar's big play ability was through the foundation of trust in his guys to make a play at any given moment including the 12-yard touchdown pass to Lambert-Smith.
"But Drew, I practice with the guy every day," Lambert-Smith said. "I saw flashes last year. He's the quarterback now and he's doing it more consistently."
