The Penn State football program has been one that has been achingly close to competing with the Ohio States and Michigans of the conference, but just hasn't been able to get over the hump. There was the one season in 2016 when James Franklin and company won a Big Ten title and went to the Rose Bowl, but aside from that, it's been a lot of close calls and "what-ifs" to keep the Nittany Lions just out of arm's reach of winning more trophies.
However, that could all change in 2024 if things fall into place. Penn State should have a very good defense again, has some weapons on the outside, and a returning quarterback with a lot of promise to make it all go. It's that last point that never seemed to really get off the ground last season. Drew Allar had a solid year, but the stats show that the offense either didn't put him in a position to take shots down the field, or he made safe reads and didn't trust himself.
CBS Sports broadcaster Brad Nessler thinks that has to change in 2024, and if it does, look out. When speaking at Big Ten media days, Nessler didn't pull any punches about what has to happen for the Nittany Lions' offense to hum this fall.
"We did one Penn State game last year and I watched some of their other ones, and I'm sitting there and you know we met with Drew and he's this big strapping guy and he's got this gun for an arm, and their throwing like swing passes about five yards out in the flat, and I'm thinking 'throw the damn ball down the field,' you know," Nessler said. "From that standpoint, if Drew starts throwing the ball down the field, or the offense evolves and lets him do what his arm is capable of doing, I think they could be sensational on offense ... I think he's capable of more than last year."
“I’m thinking, ‘throw the damn ball down the field.’”
— Joe Smeltzer (@joesmeltzer775) July 26, 2024
I asked CBS play-by-play man Brad Nessler about Penn State QB Drew Allar.
Nessler feels if Allar can unleash his arm, he’s poised for big things in 2024. pic.twitter.com/NI3qtXb5fp
It's hard to argue with. If you watched Allar and Penn State at all last season, or take a look his average completion and attempted completions, there's no denying that either the coaches believed the shorter passing game was the way to go, or that the former five-star prospect simply dumped the ball off far too often.
We'll see if Allar and the coaching staff have more confidence in his ability to make things happen more vertically in 2024. If they do, the Nittany Lions have the schedule and talent to crash a party that many believe should be Ohio State and Oregon's in 2024.
