Training teaches talent – How Drew Allar’s offseason work prepared him for the starting gig

Preparing to be Penn State’s starting quarterback after being Sean Clifford’s understudy is an ongoing process focused on strength and training for sophomore Drew Allar.

Chuck Losey, the Director of Performance for Penn State football, works with the team to improve its enhancement and the product seen on the field every Saturday.

The behind-the-scenes work can be the difference maker in a player’s improvement throughout the offseason.

According to Losey, Allar entered Penn State with “a low training age,” so the growth he’s shown has been drastic. Entering year two as the starter, he worked to get his body weight off and is currently at 235 pounds.

“What I like about [Allar] is he doesn’t shy away from any type of work,” Losey told the media on Tuesday. “He wants to train hard, he wants to train aggressive, and he lets me train him that way – I love that.”

As a “naturally big kid,” Losey admits that decisions on Allar’s body composition shouldn’t fluctuate too much, but major changes would only be made during the offseason.

Leading up to the bye week, Allar’s play on the field has been a reflection of his training. In the pocket, he’s capable of scrambling and still finding targets downfield or taking the option and gaining a few yards on a play where the receivers aren’t fully open.

Because speed was another point of focus in Allar’s training, he developed into a more fluid and efficient quarterback.

Penn State has utilized quarterback sneaks throughout the season and has been successful in doing so; it’s a play that is based on technique and the team’s ability to remain in sync at the line of scrimmage.

“Some of my favorite runs are the ones where it’s yards after contact,” Losey said. “There’s no doubt about it as a strength coach, I take a lot of pride in that.”

Through five games, Allar hasn’t turned over the ball and is averaging a 65.52 completion percentage and has shown his arm strength in his delivery and decision-making.

“The work that we put in over the summer is going to help us on the field just getting through tough physical situations and breaking away when we need to with speed,” Allar said back in August at Penn State Football’s 2023 media day.

James Franklin has been impressed with Allar’s maturity the most and how he’s understood the position.

“Making the throws that he should be, making the adjustments to the protection and the run game, he understands him playing well, and the offense playing well gives us a chance to be 1-0 that week,” Franklin said on Wednesday following practice.

Mindsets of iron sharpening iron or the 1-0 mentality allow for the entire team to buy into the processes that Losey and his staff promote. Franklin and coordinators Manny Diaz, Mike Yurcich and Stacy Diaz praised the work of the development team at the start of the season because the depth of the Nittany Lions is partially a credit to the work that is done off the practice field.

“Contact balance” drills were an offseason focus challenging players’ ability through single-leg and unilateral movements to build off pre-existing athleticism they’d enter Penn State with.

“Athleticism is your balance and ability to stay on your feet,” Losey said. “If you are on the ground, you are not helping Penn State win football games.”

Amanda Vogt is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email amandaevogt@gmail.com.