Far from perfect, Drew Allar delivers in Penn State’s comeback win over USC [opinion]

LOS ANGELES – Drew Allar tried to be perfect in his first season as Penn State’s starting quarterback.

He tried to avoid interceptions at all costs, sometimes missing open receivers. It made sense with the Nittany Lions having one of the best defenses in the country.

In the last year, though, Allar has learned it’s OK to be imperfect. It’s OK to make mistakes, to be risky when his teammates need him.

That was never more evident Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where Allar directed three second-half touchdown drives in Penn State’s gripping 33-30 win over USC in overtime.

Allar threw three interceptions, equaling his previous career total. But he made throws and plays when the Lions needed them the most.

“What I probably love the most about Drew – and it’s probably reflective of our whole team – is that it didn’t go perfectly for him today and he just grinded through it,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “He flushed the plays and moved on. That’s what you have to do. It’s not going to go perfectly.”

His baby face belies his toughness, which he displayed during the Lions’ greatest comeback win in eight years.

With Penn State trailing 20-6 at the half and about to fade away, he went 4-for-4 for 74 yards on the opening drive of the third quarter. He lobbed a strike to tight end Tyler Warren for a touchdown on a trick play.

On the next series, he threw a sideline laser to Omari Evans for a 16-yard gain to set up a game-tying TD run by Kaytron Allen.

After another stop by the defense, Allar inexplicably threw into a crowd to tight end Khalil Dinkins, a pass that was intercepted at the Penn State 24. The defense again stiffened, forcing the Trojans to settle for a field goal.

Allar responded with brilliance. A USC defender leveled him well after he threw to Warren. On the next snap, he surveyed the field and found Warren again to set up a field goal.

“He definitely has the strongest arm of anyone we’ve played so far,” Trojans defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said before the game. “He throws the ball really well, especially down the middle of the field. And for a bigger guy, he does a really good job extending plays in the pocket.”

Allar was at his best after USC had taken a 30-23 lead with less than six minutes to go. On fourth-and-7 from the Penn State 48, he fired a 17-yard pass to Julian Fleming. Then on fourth-and-10, he kept his poise as he avoided pass rushers and hit Fleming again, this time for 16 yards.

“He was as cool as a cucumber,” Fleming said. “You saw what he did today. He had two interceptions (three, including a Hail Mary) and was able to bounce back from those right away.

“Being able to see him battle through it and consistently come up clutch was a great sign for him.”

Moments later, Allar went through his progressions and found Nick Singleton alone in the right flat for a game-tying 14-yard TD with 2:53 left in regulation.

In overtime, he threw a shovel pass to Warren and then ran to the middle of the field to set up Ryan Barker’s game-winning field goal.

He wound up completing 30-for-43 passes for a career-high 391 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. He was not perfect, but he was pretty darned good.

Allar vowed to play better in Penn State’s biggest games than he did last year against Ohio State and Michigan. And he did Saturday.

Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki also had much at stake against USC.

It was one of Franklin’s three best road wins during his tenure at Penn State. He hired Kotelnicki and is paying him well to have the offense be at its best against the best opponents. The Lions gained 518 total yards against the wounded animal that was USC.

For Allar, maybe he can’t live up to the hype around his recruitment and commitment. Let’s wait to make the final judgment after his career is over.

“Based on how he was recruited, the expectations are through the roof, right?” Franklin said. “Last year his touchdown-to-interception ratio was a lot. People were still critical, right? I get it. It’s Penn State. We have really, really high expectations.

“(But) he’s gotten better and he’s gotten better at really every single area.”

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