“We are fully supportive of him,” stated Tyler Warren, the All-America tight end. “He is aware of our loyalty. That’s our approach to it, buddy.”
The decision to increase the pace in an attempt to secure a victory within regulation is unquestionable, particularly with the changes in overtime rules making it more unpredictable. Each team must now alternate two-point conversions starting from the third extra period.
“We have embraced a mentality of playing to win,” explained offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. “We had a good run to kick off that drive, picked up the pace, and unfortunately turned the ball over, which proved to be costly. That’s the mindset you need. You play to win.”
Following running back Nick Singleton’s 13-yard run that brought Penn State to the 28-yard line, Allar dropped back for a pass and rolled left to extend the play. However, he made a critical error typical of quarterbacks: throwing across his body towards wide receiver Omari Evans. The pass was intercepted by Notre Dame’s Christian Gray.
Allar had the option to throw the ball away or continue scrambling towards the sideline. Either choice would have potentially retained Penn State’s momentum, at the very least setting them up to force overtime.
“I went through my progressions,” Allar explained. “I looked to the backside and was aiming towards Omari’s feet. I should have thrown it away when my initial reads weren’t open, given the situation we were in.”
After Notre Dame advanced to the 25-yard line following three plays, quarterback Riley Leonard positioned the ball for kicker Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining.
“He’s feeling the pain right now, isn’t he? He should be. We all are,” remarked Franklin about Allar. “It’s not easy to come in after a game and have a conversation when you’ve given your all on the field. He’ll handle it well.
“He’ll be hurting tonight and tomorrow. The pain will lessen each day. He’s a dedicated individual who will learn from this and improve, as will we all.”
Kotelnicki added, “It’s tough because he will take it upon himself, but he shouldn’t have to.
“I tell him, ‘This is not solely on you. You don’t need to bear the burden of blame.’ We win and lose as a team, as a football family. It’s never just one play. Everyone may focus on that one mistake, but I want him to know that I support him wholeheartedly.”
After showing promise during the regular season as a second-year starter, Allar struggled in the playoffs, playing a supporting role in the team’s victories against Indiana and Boise State. He faced similar challenges against Notre Dame.
His performances included a 13 of 22 completion for 127 yards against Indiana, tying a season low of 5.8 yards per attempt. Against Boise State, he completed 13 of 25
The storylines, I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. We had some throws and some contested balls that we didn’t come down with. The interception threatens to define Allar’s college career — it’s a moment that will linger in program history for the wrong reasons, and only grow painfully in magnitude should the Irish beat Ohio State or Texas in the championship game. He’s already committed to coming back in 2025, saying in a social media post last month that “there’s still more work to do, which is why I look forward to making more memories with my teammates this year and beyond.”
First, Allar will have to move past this moment. How he does so, or whether he does so at all, will play a huge role in deciding whether Penn State is poised to finally break through in 2025. “Drew is a passionate guy,” Franklin said. “He invests so much into his development and also to his teammates, to Penn State. He’ll handle this like he handles everything else, with a first-class approach and with an investment level that’s as good as anybody in the country. His growth from a year-one starter to a year-two starter was significant. He has a chance to take another step next year.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penn State misses another opportunity after late interception.
