STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Drew Allar is having the most fun he’s ever had playing football.
As the triggerman of one of the country’s most effective offenses, Penn State’s quarterback has been all smiles all season.
The junior has clicked with new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to help the No. 7 Nittany Lions (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) execute the most big plays in the Big Ten and third most in the country. As they prepare to face UCLA (1-3, 0-2 Big Ten) in the final leg of a four-game home stand on Saturday, Allar only foresees them getting better.
“There’s just a lot of positive energy on our side of the ball,” Allar said. “But also when things aren’t going right or going the way we want it, I think we’re doing a really good job of washing those plays and learning from those plays and moving on to the next series.”
Additionally, Penn State enters Saturday’s game with the conference’s top-ranked rushing offense. Running behind an aggressive line that has gelled nicely through four games, running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have softened defenses for Allar and his receivers to take advantage.
The Bruins will enter Beaver Stadium on an opposite trajectory, trying to avoid losing their fourth straight. In the six quarters since UCLA’s offense last scored a touchdown, eight different Nittany Lions have found the end zone.
Despite their recent futility, the Bruins are looking on the upside.
Coach DeShaun Foster said he’s seen more players in the film room, meeting with position coaches and putting in extra work on the practice field.
“I don’t see guys getting down on themselves,” Foster said. “It’s more of they want to see things change.”
Although the Bruins are heavy underdogs, Penn State coach James Franklin knows there’s always that chance a prideful team could play spoiler as a presumably tougher opponent looms.
The Nittany Lions head to No. 11 USC next week.
“One of the things I talked to the team about is the importance of us taking a significant step this week,” Franklin said. “And not having to be one of those teams you see all over the country that have to have a setback first before they make a wake-up call and take a significant step.”
A QB’S Method
Allar has done more away from the team’s facility to push his quarterback rating to 88, good for sixth nationally.
That includes sketching out the plays Kotelnicki has planned the night before games. Allar has also recorded all the playcalls that he hears in his helmet earpiece onto his phone and listens to them as he’s walking to and from classes.
“It’s something I didn’t really do last year,” Allar said. “When I get into the game, I hear the playcall and then I’m not even thinking of, ‘OK, what is my process?’ I already know and it’s just second nature at that point, just going out and just throwing it to the open guy.”
New starter?
UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers suffered a leg injury in the Bruins’ loss to Oregon last week and had not practiced as of Wednesday.
Meanwhile, backup Justyn Martin has taken first-team reps and will make his first start inside Beaver Stadium if Garbers can’t go. Martin, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound redshirt sophomore, has completed just two passes for 12 yards in two career appearances, one coming last week after Garbers went down.
Foster said he’s been pleased with Martin’s knowledge of the offense and command of the huddle, but there’s one thing he needs to remember above all.
“You can’t hold onto the ball,” Foster said. “That’s basically it. They have a really good D-line, so just make sure he’s ready for the crowd noise and environment.”
Bounce-back D
Penn State’s defense gave up an uncharacteristic opening touchdown last week to Illinois, but was nearly perfect from there.
It’s been a theme for the Nittany Lions, who have shut everyone out in the third quarter so far and allowed just nine second-half points.
Defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas attributes Penn State’s prowess late in games to its depth and its offseason commitment to physicality. The Nittany Lions have regularly spoken about how hard-hitting training camp was this season and believe that is paying off now.
“The physicality part just makes everything else easier,” J-Thomas said. “Especially when we get into this Big Ten play. You’ll see, you’ll see the culmination of all the summer workouts, all the winter workouts, the in-season, the physical, physical, physical in-season practices we’re having.”
Fair catch!
Penn State had plans for Kaden Saunders to play more wide receiver this year, but an injury in training camp has limited him.
He has been able to contribute as the team’s fair-catch man on punt return, however.
“Really the plan for the first couple games was to just have him catch the ball,” Franklin said. “We had a ton of confidence that he would catch the ball and predominantly fair catch the ball.”
So far, that’s been the case. The Nittany Lions tried Jake Spencer back there, but quickly went back to Saunders after Spencer muffed an early attempt.
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