Many of us will never experience the gravity of making the decision that Drew Allar made Dec. 16 of last year when he announced his return to Penn State.
As Allar’s draft stock soared in what many analysts felt was a weak QB class, the opportunity to be a Day 1 choice was a reality for Allar.
But the process of deciding to stay or go was quick and rapid and had full cooperation from all involved with Allar.
“Yeah, I mean with the timeline in general to make that decision, it was just a rapid timeline with, being in the Big 10 Championship and then after that game, having a week and a half to try to make that decision, because obviously, we were preparing for SMU at that point in the playoffs,” Allar said.
“But for me, when I made that decision, I was pretty confident that I would come back. For me, it would have to be pretty drastic to change that opinion. And I was upfront and honest with Coach Franklin, and he saw it the same way.”
With so many factors that were at the feet for Allar to consider, the support system was there for him to make a proper decision and feel good whether he would forgo a senior season or return for more development.
“That was definitely part of the decision making for me,” Allar said. “Coach Franklin did a phenomenal job for me and all the resources at Penn State of gathering the information for me and all my agents as well. They did a great job of giving me as much information as they could in that short time span and allowing me to make the most informed decision for myself on what I thought was best for me.”
“So I mean, I definitely wanted that feedback, just because when I think you’re going into that decision, at least for me, like, I want to be as informed as possible, no matter if it’s like, good or bad, like, I want to know where I stand in that sort of sense. So that was definitely a big help for me.”
Allar continued to emphasize his development throughout his answers, wanting to position himself to be the best spot as a prospect when it is time to go to the next level.
As coaches and Allar began to review his game, Allar realized there was still much more development in all facets of quarterback play, whether it was physically or mentally.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“What went into that decision really was I just wanted to play more football,” he said. “I felt like there’s a lot I’ve made strides every year in my development, but there’s definitely areas I wanted to get better at, and need to get better at, and I thought having another year in the weight room with the best strength staff in the country, with Coach Los (Chuck Losey) and all his guys like, would only help me,” Allar said.
“I think it’s paid off huge for me this year. Like I’m the leanest I’ve been, probably the lightest I’ve been, and then also the fastest and strongest I’ve been since I’ve been at Penn State. So I think it helps me in the long run, and just again, like the experience of playing more football will never hurt.”
Ultimately, Allar sees 2025 as a giant opportunity to maximize his skills and leave an enduring legacy at Penn State both individually and as a team.
“I know how much better I want to be as a player and meet my mark on Penn State, and obviously accomplish the things that we came close to last year.”
