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The Nittany Lions quarterback reflects on a loss to Ohio State

Online Niel November 4, 2024

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State quarterback Drew Allar left Ohio Stadium last year, blaming himself for the Nittany Lions’ 20-12 loss. Allar had more insight Saturday at Beaver Stadium after Defeating the Nittany Lions 20-13their eighth straight at the Buckeyes. But he wasn’t feeling better.

“I feel the same way,” Allar said. “It sucks to lose.”

Allar had a tough day against an Ohio State defense that picked off the receivers, took the tight end early and shut down the running game, forcing the outcome squarely on his shoulders. He finished 12-for-20 for 146 yards and a key interception in the end zone late in the first half. He also was unable to complete a fourth down pass in the end zone late in the fourth quarter that could have tied the game.

Allar’s long week, which included treatment for the year apparent knee injury held at Wisconsin, ended with four drives inside the Ohio State 3-yard line, but no touchdown. About his health, Allar said one word: “Good.” From that final pass play on 4th-and-1, Allar said he thought he would be there.

“It was basically just a pass,” Allar said. “We wanted to bring it to Ty Warren. The safety or nickel did a good job of playing over the top and driving it. It would have been a bang-bang play short to the goal line or incomplete. So we were looking for Dinkins, we just didn’t connect.

That was a theme. Allar couldn’t connect with his receivers, who either didn’t separate downfield or didn’t come out of their breaks cleanly enough. Running back Nicholas Singleton had Penn State’s first five receptions. The receivers finished with three catches, two by Tre Wallace. And after Wallace’s game-best catch, a 24-yarder late in the second quarter, Allar tried to go back to it on the next play.

Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun didn’t allow back-to-back completions, however, ripping the ball out of Wallace’s hand for an interception in the end zone. First ruled incomplete, interception awarded on review.

“I was thinking about a one-on-one opportunity for Tre, and I just have to do a better job of making him or nobody,” Allar said.

The quarterback, who rushed 10 times for 31 yards, also accounted for the first down play on Penn State’s final drive. The Nittany Lions had first-and-goal from the Ohio State 3-yard line and tried to get into their game quickly. However, Allar said that did not happen.

“We were in our ‘sugar’ or ‘ambush’ group and usually (the referee) tells me they’re going to hold us for making a (substitution),” Allar said. “They didn’t (tell him) and it kind of hurt us because we sprinted to the line. That’s not how we want to operate the game, so I tried to communicate to them (the sideline coaches) that, Hey, I don’t have had a heads-up because we always talk about it, letting the referee clarify and then run the game, but for whatever reason there was no communication and that’s it.

Meanwhile, Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimoloau said the Buckeyes had “a lot of great communication out there.”

“On the goal line stand, we expect everything,” Tuimoloau said. “We’re warning everyone about all the plays we watched on film and we’re keeping everyone on their toes and we’re not complacent. Once complacency sets in, then many things can go wrong. But you know, there’s a lot of communication, a lot of great physicality there, and I’m proud of that.”

Allar tried to pivot after the game, citing confidence in how Penn State would respond in the loss.

“I trust our process, I trust our coaching staff, I trust Coach (James) Franklin, the leader he is, I trust Coach K (offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki), the leader he is, and I know the defense will be perfect with coach (Tom) Allen leading them,” Allar said. “I think it’s just our resilience. We demonstrated it in different ways throughout the year. Obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted, but it’s another road test for us and you can answer it one of two ways. You can respond in a negative way and point the finger, or you can reflect on yourself and see what you could have done better, and that’s what we’re going to do.”