Drew Allar is in the NFL now, but Penn State is still very much on his mind.
The former Nittany Lions quarterback, who led the program to its deepest postseason run and highest point in recent memory, said he wants the new era under Matt Campbell to push even farther. Allar never played for Campbell, but the two Ohio natives crossed paths during the recruiting process, and Allar said that connection left an impression.
“Coach Campbell recruited me a little bit when I was coming out of high school,” Allar told PennLive. “I always had a really good amount of respect for him.”
Allar’s Penn State run ended with a trip to the 2024 College Football Playoff semifinals against Notre Dame, the high-water mark of his time in blue and white. Now a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, he’s still tracking the program closely through its early-season turbulence, including last week’s 24-20 loss to Wisconsin after Penn State blew a 17-0 lead.
“One loss, especially now in college football, really doesn’t define your season, which is the nice part,” Allar said.
What he’s hearing from around the program has him believing Penn State is still in decent shape despite the setback.
“From everything I’ve heard, they really respect that coaching staff, and that doesn’t really surprise me at all,” Allar told said. “Now it’s going to be a challenging game that they go on the road against Northwestern this week on a Friday night where they’re opening their new stadium. But it’s a great opportunity for them to just bounce back and have a really good game.”
Allar’s attention isn’t limited to State College. He’s also watching Virginia Tech, where his former coach James Franklin has the Hokies off to a 4-0 start after last year’s 3-9 finish under former Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry. Virginia Tech heads to Acrisure Stadium to face 4-0 Pitt, in a matchup that marks the first time two unranked power conference teams with perfect records have met.
“I’m hoping they [Penn State] can take the next step, and then same with Virginia Tech,” Allar said. “Putting Virginia Tech back on the map as a true blue blood program would be really cool to see. I think that’d be great for college football in general.”
He said Franklin’s quick turnaround in Blacksburg fits the coach’s résumé.
“He has a great track record of that going back to his Vanderbilt days,” Allar said. “Kind of turning around Vanderbilt for for the first time in Vanderbilt history and then coming to Penn State at a pretty rough time, like with all the stuff that was going around at Penn State, and again getting us to you know a spot that we were at really the last probably six years, getting us to like the the height of college football.”
And with Penn State and Virginia Tech in different conferences, Allar said there’s no real conflict in following both.
“It’s not really hard at all to do just because one is in the ACC, the other Big Ten, so that makes it definitely easier,” Allar said.
Still, he knows where his biggest footprint will be measured, and he wants that legacy to be surpassed soon.
“I definitely want to see both programs - especially Penn State get better than what we were when I was there,” Allar said. “That was always the thing that I tried to take pride in - trying to leave it better than I found it. I felt like, for the most part, we did a good job of that.”
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Penn State Fans Just Got A New Beaver Stadium Comparison
Northwesterns new Ryan Field made its debut during Penn States visit, giving Nittany Lions fans a fresh point of comparison for what a modern college football venue can look like. The 35,000-seat on-campus stadium, built at a cost of $870 million, puts a premium on closeness to the action, with premium seating, a standing-only student section and a layout that brings the crowd right up to the playing surface.
Penn State broadcaster Steve Jones also took note of the new setup, including the location of the visiting radio booth, while the game added another layer to the conversation with the strong Peacock/NBC production. For Penn State observers, the contrast with Beaver Stadium was hard to miss, especially on a night when the sideline environment again underscored how crowded things can feel in Happy Valley. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Northwestern Prep Just Took A Surprising Turn
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For the Nittany Lions, the injury picture is familiar in a less welcome way. Defensive end Max Granville is out for the season, and receiver Koby Howard is sidelined for an extended stretch, leaving Penn State to keep adjusting its depth as the schedule rolls on. Even with Northwestern dealing with its own absences, this is the sort of matchup where availability can shape both game planning and in-game flexibility before either side ever settles into a rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has A Secondary Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Penn States depth chart is already getting a workout before conference play truly gets rolling, and the biggest concern right now sits on the defensive side of the ball. The Nittany Lions are juggling multiple injuries ahead of their game against Northwestern, while the offense also has to plan without star wide receiver Koby Howard to open Big Ten action.
Daryus Dixsons status is the one worth watching most closely. The cornerback is listed as questionable after suffering an injury before halftime in the previous game, leaving Penn State with another uncertainty in a secondary that will need to be sharp if it is going to settle in quickly. Northwestern has its own injury questions, with two starters, including tight end Luke Dehnicke, listed as doubtful, but Penn States growing concerns on the back end may end up shaping the conversation going into kickoff. [Read more 🡒]