Drew Allar continues to see external expectations rise higher and higher for the senior quarterback each passing day.
Expectations couldn’t be higher for Penn State football, which sits No. 2 in the preseason AP Poll and is coming off one of its most successful seasons of the century.
Days after being named to the Manning Award Watch List, honoring the “Best Quarterback in College Football,” Allar joins another distinguished group.
On Tuesday, Allar was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. The honor is presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation.
The foundation works in partnership with A.O. Smith Corporation to further grow and advance the game, “while promoting character, leadership, and academic achievement among young athletes.”
Allar finished in the top 10 for the Golden Arm Award in 2024. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders won the award last season, finished eighth in Heisman voting, and is the FBS all-time leader in completion percentage (71.8) from 2023-24.
58 candidates were announced for the award, including eight Big Ten quarterbacks.
Allar is the most notable name on a list that includes Luke Altmyer (Illinois), Aidan Chiles (Michigan State), Billy Edwards Jr. (Wisconsin), Nico Iamaleava (UCLA), Athan Kaliakmanis (Rutgers), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), and Preston Stone (Northwestern).
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.The Golden Arm Award was created 39 years ago to recognize a player’s excellence on and off the football field. Unitas was born in Pittsburgh in 1933, the same year the Steelers were founded, and played college football at Louisville.
He threw for 3,139 yards and 27 touchdowns over four years before being drafted by the Steelers in 1955 and going onto a Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Colts, winning Super Bowl V.
Allar threw for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 16 games as a junior, leading Penn State to a 13-3 record in the program’s longest season to date.
Allar, 21, set new career highs in completion percentage (66.5%) and quarterback rating (152.5) in his first year under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Kotelnicki drew significant interest from West Virginia to be their new head coach, but opted to stay at Penn State.
The program added transfer wide receivers Kyron Hudson (USC), Devonte Ross (Troy), and Trebor Peña (Syracuse) to help Allar take the next step. A Penn State wide receiver didn’t catch a pass in the Orange Bowl.
The 6-foot-5, 238-pound senior was named Big Ten Honorable Mention the last two seasons and has combined for 66 total touchdowns in his PSU career, compared to 10 picks.
Penn State begins the 2025 season hosting Nevada inside revitalized West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium on August 30 at 3:30 p.m. Work remains on the stadium each day.
