Allar Tabbed To Davey O’Brien Award Watch ListAllar Tabbed To Davey O’Brien Award Watch List

Allar Tabbed To Davey O’Brien Award Watch List

Junior lands on second preseason watch list

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State junior quarterback Drew Allar was named to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List on Thursday.

 

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award.

 

Drew Allar · Jr. · QB · 6-5 · 238 · Medina, Ohio · Medina

  • Named to the Maxwell Award Watch List.
  • Earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media in 2023.
  • Enters 2024 season ranked first in school history in career interception percentage (0.45), third in completion percentage (59.7), seventh in touchdown pass percentage (6.49) and eighth in passing efficiency (129.3).
  • Started all 13 games last season.
  • Was a member of the Danny O’Brien Award Class of 2023.
  • Completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns (two interceptions), while rushing for four scores.
  • Set Penn State season record for lowest interception percentage (0.51) and became the first quarterback in school history to throw for 10+ touchdowns before throwing an interception in a season.
  • His 25 touchdown passes were tied third in a season at Penn State, while he ranked fifth in touchdowns responsible for (29), sixth in completions (233), seventh in attempts (389), ninth in completion percentage (59.9) and tied-ninth in 200+ yard passing games (7).
  • Finished second in the nation in touchdown-to-interception ratio (12.5-to-1).
  • Tied for the Big Ten lead in passing touchdowns (25; T-18th nationally) and finished second in points responsible for (176; T-26th), fourth in passing efficiency (136.9) and passing yards (2,631) and fifth in yards per pass attempt (6.76).
  • Joined Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker (2022) as the only FBS quarterbacks ever to throw 25+ touchdown passes and 2 or less interceptions in a season.
  • Began 2023 season with 251 pass attempts without an interception, the sixth-most to start a season since 2000, trailing only Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron (428; 2012), Oregon’s Marcus Mariota (285; 2013), Western Kentucky’s Tyrrell Pigrome (278; 2020), NC State’s Ryan Finley (274; 2017) and West Virginia’s Geno Smith (273; 2012).
  • Opened career with 311 passing attempts without an interception, shattering the FBS record held by Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (209 attempts in 2008).
  • In his first career start, Allar threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns against West Virginia to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.
  • The Ohio native set a career high with four passing touchdowns against Indiana and tallied a passing and rushing touchdown at Northwestern.
  • Collected three passing touchdowns and a rushing score against UMass and tossed three touchdowns against Indiana.
  • Threw for 240 yards and four touchdowns at Maryland and ended the regular season throwing for 292 yards and two scores at Michigan State.
  • Threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.

 

The Davey O’Brien Foundation will release its midseason watch list on Tuesday, October 22 and will announce its Davey O’Brien Quarterback Class of 2024 on Tuesday, October 29.

 

The list of semifinalists selected from the quarterback class will be named on Tuesday, November 12. The Foundation will announce its three finalists on Tuesday, November 26.

 

The winner will be announced live during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN on December 12, 2024.

 

Penn State Football Recognized On Preseason Watch Lists:

Drew Allar – Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award

Kaytron Allen – Doak Walker Award

Abdul Carter – Nagurski Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award

Nick Dawkins – Wuerffel Trophy

Tyler Duzansky – Mannelly Award

Chase Meyer – Lou Groza Award

Nicholas Singleton – Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award

Riley Thompson – Ray Guy Award

Sal Wormley – Outland Trophy

 

Penn State's season opener at West Virginia on Aug. 31 will kick at noon on FOX. The Nittany Lions return 42 lettermen from last year’s squad – 17 on offense, 22 on defense and three on special teams and bring back 16 starters – seven on offense, seven on defense and two on special teams.

 

For club and ticket information for the 2024 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.