"It was ugly last fall" - CFB analyst urges James Franklin to help Drew Allar by fixing Penn State's paramount problem on offense

James Franklin guided Penn State to a standout 2024 season, reaching the Big Ten title game against Oregon and advancing to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Expectations are high for the 2025 season as the Nittany Lions aim to build on last year's success.

As the 2025 season approaches, Brad Crawford of CBS outlines an area every top 25 team in college football must address to encounter success. For Penn State, the analyst believes Franklin needs to ensure a chemistry is built between Drew Allar and the wide receiver room.

“At times, it was ugly last fall for Drew Allar's third-down options outside of All-American tight end Tyler Warren,” Crawford wrote while addressing the offensive problem of Penn State.

“The Nittany Lions did not have a single completion to a wideout during the semifinal loss to Notre Dame, which forced James Franklin's hand to go after several transfers. Kyron Hudson (USC), Devonte Ross (Troy) and Trebor Pena (Syracuse) figure to be the new starters.”

While Penn State had an outstanding running game last season with Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen leading the charge, the same cannot be said of the passing game. Without a doubt, Franklin will need to fix this issue next season in a bid to challenge for the national title.

James Franklin discusses the expectations in 2025

The expectations surrounding Penn State in 2025 are unlike any before. For the first time under James Franklin’s leadership, the Nittany Lions enter the season as a legitimate national championship contender. The coach discussed what the situation looks like in May.

“I chose a place that has really high expectations, where you can win 13 games in a season and a portion of the fan base is hissed off,” Franklin said in an interview with Rich Scarcella.

“But I chose that and I signed up for that. The players chose that and they signed up for that. Drew Allar, you signed up for this. You chose this. There are probably 15 other schools in the country that are similar. It’s part of the deal.”

Penn State is set to enter the 2025 season with its highest preseason ranking since at least 1999, showcasing how highly touted they are this time. With a significant number of seniors returning on both sides of the ball, James Franklin undoubtedly has enough tools at his disposal to compete for the national championship in 2025.