James Franklin gives Penn State QB Drew Allar his flowers as a potential Heisman contender heading into 2025

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NCAA Football: Penn State Blue-White Spring Game - Source: Imagn
NCAA Football: Penn State Blue-White Spring Game - Source: Imagn

After reaching the final four last season, Penn State is heading into what could be its most important year in over a decade. And much of the upcoming campaign’s success relies on quarterback Drew Allar, who is entering his third season as a starter.

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Allar had his best year yet in 2024. He threw for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He rushed for six touchdowns and 302 yards. If Allar can continue his development as a passer, he might become a potential Heisman Trophy contender in 2025.

Nittany Lions coach James Franklin built Allar’s Heisman case with glowing praise at Big Ten media days on Wednesday.

“I’m just proud of him. Drew has made tremendous growth every single year, all the way back to recruiting,” Franklin said. “I don’t know if a lot of people remember, but Drew, when we first started recruiting him, was a three-star recruit, kind of a throwback recruit.
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“Kept getting better, kept moving up the charts depending on which recruiting service you follow. Some people had him as the No. 1 quarterback in the country before it was all said and done.”

Franklin also praised Allar’s attitude and leadership.

“I’m a big Drew fan. You guys get a chance to get around him, you’ll feel the same way. He’s really what it’s all about: It’s team, team, team, it’s community. It’s Penn State. He does things the right way and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
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Drew Allar. Syndication: Hanover Evening Sun - Source: Imagn
Drew Allar. Syndication: Hanover Evening Sun - Source: Imagn

Drew Allar's performance over the years

Drew Allar has improved each season, given his stats. One metric that shows this is his “dead-end throw rate.” This means how often he throws an incomplete pass or a short gain of four yards or less.

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In 2023, that happened 53% of the time. In 2024, it dropped to 46%. It will become clear in time whether this further improves in the 2025 campaign.

Yet, while Allar has proven stronger against weaker competition, his performance in big games has fallen short. Against ranked opponents over the past two seasons, Allar’s passer efficiency sits at 114.4, ranking 80th among power-conference quarterbacks with at least 25 passes in those situations.

Meanwhile, Penn State’s returning offensive production ranks 10th nationally. And it’s the second year with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, which means more familiarity with the system and better affinity with its quarterback.

Edited by Ribin Peter
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