Drew Allar demonstrated his potential in his first season as Penn State’s starting quarterback, but by the season’s end, the team’s deficiencies in the passing game were evident.
The Nittany Lions ranked 77th nationally with an average of 215 passing yards per game, a performance that fell short of expectations. In comparison, even Pitt, despite struggling with multiple quarterback changes, managed to rank 75th with 216 passing yards per game.
Coach James Franklin is optimistic that Allar, now a junior, can make significant strides under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.
A key factor in achieving this improvement will be the performance of a revamped group of receivers, which has already garnered early praise from Allar.
“We have guys that can make contested catches, and they’ve shown that already in camp,” Allar said. “They’re earning the right to allow me to throw those balls downfield. I just have to give them a shot to touch the ball, really.”
The team has seen the departure of last season’s top two receivers: KeAndre Lambert-Smith (transferred to Auburn) and Dante Cephas (transferred to Kansas State).
However, Penn State has added Julian Fleming, who caught 60 passes for 803 yards and 12 touchdowns over the past two seasons with Ohio State.
Fleming, a Catawissa, Pa., native and Gatorade’s Player of the Year in 2019, is expected to lead the wide receiver group after four seasons with the Buckeyes.
Coach James Franklin described the 6-foot-2, 206-pound Fleming as “solid” after a few fall camp practices and is eager to see how the rest of the position group develops in the coming weeks.
“I think they have all been good at times,” Franklin said. “It’s still obviously a small number of practices and plays to truly evaluate. I’ll have a better idea a week from now. But so far, solid, and obviously, there are still some steps that need to be taken for that entire room.”
Redshirt juniors Liam Clifford and Harrison “Trey” Wallace are among those expected to have breakout seasons.
Wallace, limited to eight games last year due to injury, is Penn State’s leading returning receiver with 19 catches for 228 yards and a touchdown.
Clifford played a rotational role last season, appearing in every game but starting just one, and recorded 13 receptions for 130 yards.
Building rapport between quarterbacks and receivers has been a focal point in camp.
“Even away from football, being able to get together outside of the facility, hang out more with the quarterbacks, build that chemistry — those are all things that apply, and then ultimately, help us trust each other throughout the season,” Clifford said.
“Julian’s somebody I got close to when he came here. Us being able to push each other, him texting me being like, ‘Hey, let’s get some extra catches in today,’ and me doing the same for him — whatever it might be, we’re just looking to get 1% better every day.”
For Allar, synchronization with his receivers is crucial.
“Talking with the receivers — one of the best things we’ve done in fall camp is meeting with the receivers and quarterbacks every day, me leading those with Liam, Trey, and Fleming,” Allar said. “Just talking about certain things. The other day, the emphasis was on out routes vs. man coverage and what that should look like. There’s a lot more dialogue, and that just increases trust.”
After dealing with injuries last year, Wallace is ready to showcase his abilities and believes Kotelnicki’s offensive scheme will enable him to excel.
“Making those spectacular plays — when that ball’s in the air, everybody knows that I’m coming down with it,” he said. “Coach (Kotelnicki) has really based the offense on his players’ strengths. All the things that we’re good at are going to be shown.”
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