Drew Allar had nothing open. He tossed the ball downfield anyway.

Allar’s pass, intended for wide receiver Omari Evans, ended up in the hands of Notre Dame’s Christian Gray. With the game tied 24-24 and 33 seconds left on the game clock, Allar could have thrown the ball away. His deep shot cost Penn State the game in a 27-24 loss to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.

“I was going through my progression and got to the backside, and honestly, I was just trying to dirt it at [Evans’] feet,” Allar said postgame. “I should have just thrown it away when I felt the first two progressions weren’t open, just because of the situation we were in.”

Even without the interception, Allar still had a rough outing. Penn State leaned on the run to give it any chance of winning, and Allar couldn’t shine. He finished 12-for-23 with 203 yards, no touchdowns, and one pick.

“We didn’t win the game, so it wasn’t good enough,” Allar said. “I mean, I think it’s plain and simple, so I’ll learn from it. Just do everything in my power to get out and get better from it and just grow from it.”

Not everyone threw the blame on Allar, though. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki said the blame fell on the entire offense, not just its leader.

“When planes crash, there’s a bunch of little things that go wrong, and that’s what happened on that plane,” Kotelnicki said. “So I know he’s gonna beat himself up over it. He shouldn’t have to, but that’s what it is.”

Allar had no help from his wide receiver corps. A group that James Franklin had vehemently defended days prior finished the day without a single reception. Two running backs and three tight ends were all the offense offered Allar in the receiving game.

Tyler Warren finished with six catches for 75 yards — more than half of all Penn State’s yards through the air. Nick Singleton, Khalil Dinkins, Kaytron Allen, and Luke Reynolds each chipped away for a combined 60 yards.

Despite the lack of assistance from receivers, Kotelnicki refused to point fingers in any direction.

“It’s not fair to say one way or the other,” Kotelnicki said. “The people around him, I wouldn’t trade any of our guys for anybody.”

Allar will return to Penn State next season, a move he announced before Penn State started its College Football Playoff run. Kotelnicki said it’s his job to continue to develop Allar and, despite the loss, better things are coming for Penn State’s gunslinger.

“My job is to develop and get people better. And whatever that takes, my job is to figure out what that is, what that takes to get people better,” Kotelnicki said. “Sometimes, when you’re a really good player like him, improvement looks different than somebody who’s maybe in their very first year of college football.

“I’m really excited about him.”