There were times last year when Penn State Nittany Lions fans were calling his name from the stands, impatient to see the next great navy-clad quarterback get his chance to shine. That time is now.
Drew Allar has guided Penn State to an undefeated start to the 2023 college football season, etching his name in both the Big Ten and NCAA records books ahead of the clash with Ohio State.
Drew Allar Makes History With Interception Streak
Entering the biggest game of the season so far in the Big Ten, Allar is the only quarterback at the FBS level to have made over 150 pass attempts with no interceptions. The sophomore slinger has attempted 181 passes, completing 65.2% of them for 1,254 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has added another three rushing scores as well.
The Penn State quarterback has been clinical and methodical, in dissecting opposing defenses. He’s guided the Nittany Lions to an undefeated start, a top-10 national ranking in the AP Poll, and more importantly, is making fans and analysts alike believe that the program has a genuine chance of upsetting the established order at the top of the Big Ten.
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Allar is breathing rarified air. The Penn State passer is the only Big Ten quarterback since 2000 to start a season with 180+ attempts and no interceptions. Think of all the elite passers that have passed through the conference in the last 23 years, and not one of them can hold a candle to Allar’s achievements.
Yet, there’s more. In the last 23 years, only 20 FBS quarterbacks have opened a season by throwing 180+ pass attempts without giving away an interception. That’s over 3,000 different quarterbacks, and Allar sits amongst an elite group. Less than 1% of starting quarterbacks in that time have achieved such a feat.
The Penn State passer is truly operating at an elite level. His six games this season without an interception means that Penn State enters their rivalry game with Ohio State carrying the longest active streak in the nation for games without an interception, an achievement that dates back to the 2022 Maryland game.
To those familiar with Allar from his time at Medina High School, it’s hardly surprising. During his senior season, he threw just seven interceptions across 514 attempts while leading the school to a 13-1 record. From his prototypical build, to his strong arm and impressive decision-making qualities, the Penn State quarterback is built to perform at the highest level of college football.
How Old Is Drew Allar?
Allar’s achievements so far are all the more remarkable given his tender years. Born March 8, 2004, the Penn State quarterback is just 19 years old.
A five-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, he’s a true sophomore with two years of remaining college eligibility. On his current trajectory, he could be a starting NFL quarterback at only 21 years and six months old. That would make him one of the youngest starting quarterbacks in league history.
Why Did Drew Allar Choose Penn State?
As the Nittany Lions prepare to face their Big Ten conference foe on the road, Allar is readying himself for a return home. Medina High School is just over 100 miles and less than two hours from Ohio Stadium, the arena where the star quarterback will look to further insert himself into program folklore by guiding the Lions past the Buckeyes on the road for the first time since 2011.
But, why did five-star recruit Allar choose Penn State over the biggest program in his home state?
It’s a valid question. Allar holds school and county records for every conceivable quarterback metric you can think of. As a senior in 2021, he was named the State Offensive Player of the Year, Max Preps Ohio Player of the Year, and was the 2021 Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association Mr. Football. How did the talented quarterback escape the state and end up in Pennsylvania?
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“My biggest reason was I feel like Penn State was the right place for me to go,” Allar told On3.com. “It had everything that I wanted academically, obviously, football, and then off the field. Just the resources we have around here.”
Furthermore, Penn State had been in on Allar since before his senior season. One of the first programs to offer him, he committed just after his 17th birthday. An offer from Ohio State — who had C.J. Stroud on its roster — didn’t come until September of his senior season, by which time it was too late.
“I have a great amount of respect for the Ohio State coaches and their program,” Allar added during his interview with On3.com, “but I just didn’t feel like it would be the best fit for me, personally. I feel like Penn State is a better fit for me personally. So that’s how that kind of happened. It was like just super late too.”