MIAMI GARDEN:
In a quiet Penn State locker room, where occasional frustrated screams broke the silence, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki wanted to reassure quarterback Drew Allar.
“That’s tough, because he’s going to blame himself, and he shouldn’t have to,” Kotelnicki said. “I need to do better for him and the offense. … I told him, it’s not your fault. Don’t carry that burden or feel responsible for it.”
Penn State’s 27-24 loss to Notre Dame came down to a fourth-quarter interception and a field goal, much like the Rose Bowl in 2016 during the team’s last great season. This time, the central figure was quarterback Drew Allar. Known for his fiery and sometimes unpredictable play, Allar threw his first interception of the College Football Playoff at the worst possible moment. He was trying to underthrow receiver Omari Evans (or “dirt” the ball, as he described it), but released it late and high, allowing Notre Dame’s Christian Gray to intercept. Seven plays later, kicker Mitch Jeter made a 41-yard field goal, eliminating Penn State from the College Football Playoff while Allar could only watch.
Allar desperately wished he could take that throw back. “Honestly, I was just trying to throw it at his feet, but I should have just thrown it away,” he said. The pass that ended his season seemed to sum up his entire postseason. The quarterback struggled throughout Penn State’s final four games, with only a few standout throws amid a challenging stretch. How did the Big Ten Championship Game end? With an Allar interception following a strong run by Nicholas Singleton to start a fourth-quarter drive. How did the Orange Bowl end? With an Allar interception after another strong run by Singleton to start a fourth-quarter series. Both interceptions appeared to be the result of processing errors.
Allar entered the postseason with a completion rate of 71.6 percent, ranked fifth nationally, and a passer efficiency rating of 167.5, which was seventh. However, in four postseason games, he struggled to maintain consistency. He never completed more than 60 percent of his passes, didn’t surpass 150 in efficiency, and became increasingly less reliable. He went 13 of 22 against SMU, 13 of 25 against Boise State, and 12 of 23 against Notre Dame. In three playoff games, Allar didn’t throw for more than 171 yards. His passer rating in the Orange Bowl, the biggest game of the season, was a season-low 92.8.
Although Drew Allar took responsibility for the loss, he didn’t get much help from his receivers. They struggled to get open and failed to catch a pass, leaving Allar 0-for-5 when throwing to wideouts. He completed 8 of 18 passes on short throws (1-14 yards) and was just 1-for-4 for 2 yards on third down, with Penn State finishing 3-for-11 on third downs overall.
“They’re a man coverage team, but yeah, that’s a storyline of the game,” said Franklin about the wide receivers not catching a pass. “There’s no doubt about it.”
Pressure wasn’t a major issue for Allar, as Penn State’s offensive line allowed just one sack and one hurry, although he was pressured during his final interception. Notre Dame did break up one pass. On the defensive side, Penn State made five sacks, broke up four passes, and intercepted two, including a spectacular play by Dani Dennis-Sutton. Allar technically threw one interception, though Notre Dame had two others in the red zone that were nullified by penalties. The Nittany Lions needed a big performance from their quarterback, but he couldn’t deliver.
Allar missed a few key opportunities during the game. Late in the first quarter, he had Nicholas Singleton open on third down at the goal line, but the throw went to Singleton’s knees, making it impossible for him to catch. On Penn State’s second-quarter touchdown drive, Allar overthrew Singleton on a nice sideline route. He was simply off target, which ultimately led to the interception.
Both Franklin and Allar seemed deflated after the play. Allar froze, and Franklin slumped. After the game, they had to walk through part of the Notre Dame celebration to reach the postgame interview room.
Franklin commented, “He’ll be hurting tonight, and tomorrow, and a little less each day. But he’s a committed guy who will do it the right way. He said it himself—though it may not feel like it now, he’ll learn from this and be better for it, and so will we.”
Allar, who plans to return to Penn State next season, didn’t take the loss as hard as he did last year against Ohio State. He has built more resilience and perspective. During a difficult interview, he answered questions about one of the worst games of his career with patience.
“Drew is a passionate guy,” said Coach Franklin. “He’s worked hard on his development and for his teammates and Penn State. He’ll handle this setback just like he handles everything else, with a first-class approach and a high level of commitment. His growth from year one to year two as a starter was significant, and he has the chance to improve even more next year.”
This year could have been the one for Penn State, though. They had a strong defense, two running backs performing well in the postseason, and a tight end who could make a big impact. However, they struggled with their receiving group, which didn’t consistently support the quarterback. Warren became the first Penn State player to reach 100 catches, finishing with 104 receptions, more than the total catches of the top six receivers combined (102).
Next season, Allar needs to be more consistent in big games and definitely needs more support from the receivers. He’ll start focusing on that soon. For now, he’s reflecting on himself.
“I learned a lot about myself, and I credit the coaching staff for letting me be myself,” he said. “I’ve grown a lot, both on and off the field. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow, learn more about myself, and improve in every way I can, both on and off the field. I’m excited for the opportunity. I’ll learn from this, move on, and take it in stride.”