Penn State football quarterback Drew Allar has come into his own during the 2024 season.

After throwing for 2,631 yards on a 59.9% completion clip a season ago, Allar has completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,192 yards through 15 games in 2024.

Along with his passing ability, Allar has improved in the run game, too. The junior has rushed 90 times for 285 yards this year and has become a threat with his legs.

Even with the marked improvement from a year ago, Allar hasn’t been consistently leaned on to win games. The quarterback led a game-sealing drive against Minnesota in late November and orchestrated a game-tying drive against USC in October, in which he finished with 391 yards and two touchdowns.

“People think of [the USC game], and it’s kind of a big boy game there,” offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki said. “He put the team on his back. I’m not just talking about his ability to throw, but his ability to evade rush to keep plays alive.”

During the College Football Playoff, though, Allar has been consistent around an offense that’s peaking at the right time.

Allar has three touchdowns during the playoffs, all coming in the game against Boise State. Two of the touchdowns went to Tyler Warren, while one was a long strike to wide receiver Omari Evans, who’s gaining confidence ahead of the tilt with a talented Notre Dame team.

Kotelnicki said on Tuesday that Allar has been a large part of the reason why his creative offense has worked so well, and his ability to extend plays has paid dividends throughout the season.

“He doesn’t get enough credit for managing that stuff. We can do all that stuff because Drew allows us to do that stuff,” Kotelnicki said. “Through the years, I’ve had plenty of different quarterbacks, and some can handle that, and some can’t. You don’t do it if they can’t, and he can.”

Allar has adapted well to Kotelnicki’s scheme largely because of his ability to be coachable and learn throughout the season. While the system might fit his style of play, his experience also plays a large role in his development into one of the top quarterbacks in college football.

Allar will have one of his toughest tests of the season this Thursday against the Fighting Irish. While he’s faced a tougher defense in Ohio State, the moment wasn’t nearly as large as it will be during the Orange Bowl. The Irish have the fifth-ranked passing defense in the nation but lay claim to the 24th-ranked rushing defense. Both facets of the offense will have to be at their best for the Nittany Lions to have a chance at advancing to the national championship.

“They have really good players, first of all,” Kotelnicki said. “Their defensive line complements their linebackers and their linebackers complement their secondary. They’re going to make you earn every completion.”

With Allar in the backfield, though, the first-year coordinator is confident in the group’s ability to take down such a fortified defense that’s very similar to the one the Nittany Lions face in practice each day.

The team’s been building toward this moment for the entire year. Now that it’s here, Kotelnicki knows his squad, led by Allar, will perform.

“I’ve got a ton of confidence if it has to happen like that, he can get it done,” Kotelnicki said. “But I’m just telling you, complementary football says that if you want to win, you need to have balance.”