STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Before Andy Kotelnicki became Penn State’s offensive coordinator, he admittedly didn’t know much about Drew Allar.
It didn’t take long for Kotelnicki to conclude the Nittany Lions’ quarterback is a special talent.
“His wittiness, his decision-making, those kinds of things are really hard to coach and they are very, very evident when you watch him right away,” Kotelnicki said. “His want to get better and grow is next-level, it’s second to none that I’ve worked with.”
It’s up to Kotelnicki — the program’s third offensive coordinator in four years — to put a complementary supporting cast around Allar and harness the junior’s potential as the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions try to keep pace in the expanded Big Ten.
Allar completed 60% of his passes for 2,631 yards with 25 touchdowns to just two interceptions in his first year as the team’s starter. But meandering game plans and a lack of explosive plays eventually caught up to the Nittany Lions in losses to Ohio State and Michigan that scuttled any chances of making the College Football Playoff.
In Kotelnicki’s three years at Kansas, the Jayhawks ranked 10th nationally in passing plays over 15 yards and were among the top 15 in many other explosive play statistics.
Kotelnicki hasn’t completely rebuilt Penn State’s offense, but he has brought in concepts he used at Kansas to regularly stretch the field.
Allar enjoys Kotelnicki’s energetic, collaborative style. In his time at Kansas, Kotelnicki was open to ideas from players and even kept a “notebook full” of player-designed plays.
Allar hasn’t contributed to it — yet.
“Some of these things we are going to do, you guys are going to look at and say, ‘I don’t know if that’s something I would imagine Drew doing,’” coach James Franklin said. “But by him doing just enough of it, it opens up and creates opportunities for other things in our offense and makes us difficult to defend.”
Getting open
Tight end Tyler Warren is the team’s leading returning receiver. He’s one of the more versatile players in the country, but Franklin would like to see someone else emerge on the outside. He has raved about veterans Tre Wallace and Liam Clifford.
Injuries limited Wallace to eight games last season. He caught 19 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown. Clifford had 13 catches for 130 yards.
“They’ve always shown flashes at times, but this camp, they’ve been really, really consistent,” Franklin said. “We have a ton of confidence in them. I think they’re going to have big years for us.”
Julian Fleming transferred from Ohio State and should also be in the early receiver rotation with Kaden Saunders and Omari Evans.
Disruption at all costs
New defensive coordinator Tom Allen inherited many pieces from a year ago when the Nittany Lions ranked second nationally in total defense. Star linebacker Abdul Carter has moved to defensive end where Penn State must replace a pair of starters in Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson.
“To me, it’s all about causing indecision with the guy under center,” Allen said. “That’s what everything is about and making him have to pat the ball one or two extra times and make him have to question what he’s saying pre-snap.”
The schedule
Penn State opens at West Virginia on Aug. 31, then hosts four straight at Beaver Stadium including the Big Ten opener against Illinois on Sept. 28. Road trips to No. 23 USC and Wisconsin await before a Nov. 2 home game against No. 2 Ohio State.
If all goes well, the Nittany Lions can look forward to the expanded, 12-team playoff. They’re one of just six teams that have finished in the CFP’s top 12 at least six times since 2016.