There is a long list of candidates worthy of the blame game for Penn State’s shocking and embarrassing 42-37 loss to previously winless UCLA Saturday.
During his weekly press conference Monday, James Franklin said it all comes back to him and “starts with me.” Much has been said nationally about Jim Knowles and his defense allowing Nico Iamaleava to rush for 128 yards and three touchdowns.
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt believe the fingers for one of the biggest Big Ten upsets this century shouldn’t be pointed at the quarterback.
“Penn State fans, what if I told you that the best player in a Penn State uniform on Saturday against UCLA was Drew Allar?” Klatt said on The Joel Klatt Show. “Because if you just read the articles or if you’re on the chat boards and read what was said, you would think that the problem is Drew Allar. I don’t think that’s accurate.”
Drew Allar completed 19-of-26 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns. He has surpassed 250 yards passing twice in 21 games under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Allar also lead Penn State in rushing (78 yards) and averaged 7.1 yards per rush.
“I believe, and I know, that Drew Allar was the best Nittany Lion on the field Saturday,” Klatt said. “That dude plays hard. Now that’s not enough, and I’m not suggesting he was perfect, either. No one played great for Penn State, but he was certainly the reason that they were in that game.”
Much of the blame for the Oregon loss fell on Allar’s shoulders, and rightfully so. Allar threw a game-sealing interception on the first offensive play of the second overtime to hands the Ducks the win. When Kotelnicki and company opened up the offense, Allar played well.
The conversation continues to revolve around Penn State’s scheme the past two weeks, not catering to Allar’s strengths as a pocket passer and trying to put him in a box he doesn’t fit into. The read-option play on 4th and 2 inside the red zone in the final 45 seconds was a prime example.
Klatt points to the struggling transfer wide receivers. Kyron Hudson returned home to Los Angeles and grabbed four balls for 52 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted eight times. Penn State significantly invested in All-ACC receiver Trebor Pena to join the program. He caught three passes for only 15 yards.
“He’s looking at a wide receiver core right now that continues, even with different players and a rebuilt roster, to be an underperforming unit,” Klatt said. “They do not get open. They do not run with urgency. The speed with which they play is a notch too slow. They cannot get off bump coverage, so they’re jammed constantly at the line of scrimmage.”
Devonte Ross scored two touchdowns in the comeback against Oregon and appeared to have a good rapport with Allar. Ross didn’t catch a pass and was only targeted once.
“Thus, Allar’s got nowhere to throw the football,” Klatt said. “Then he’s not to escape the pass rush, which is generally in his lap because the offensive line is underperforming. Several times he escaped as not a guy that’s going to threaten you with his mobility, but just with sheer courage and competitiveness, he got those first downs.”
Allar ran for five first downs in the game and consistently led the offensive on scoring drives in the third and fourth quarters after the defense couldn’t put together a stop. Penn State scored 31 points in the second half.
“When he’s looking down the field, he sees guys that are not running hard, jammed, and covered,” Klatt said. “That’s a problem.”
Penn State is the first top 10 team to lose to an 0-4 or worse opponent in 40 years when No. 7 BYU lost to UTEP in 1985. The Nittany Lions are unranked for the first time since Week 2 of the 2022 season. The Nittany Lions return home on Saturday hosting Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. All eyes are on how the team will respond, and what the reception will be for James Franklin in his team on homecoming this week.
