Penn State storms into the fall as a unanimous top-three team. The Allar-Franklin connection is in the spotlight. Despite last season’s tough losses to Notre Dame and Oregon, James Franklin’s belief in Allar remains intact. He always backs his quarterback when it matters the most. That steady confidence built a partnership with mutual respect and shared ambition. Now, they’re driving a mission. Focused on ending the championship drought since 1986, and refusing to let history hold them back.
Well, back in 2023, things got ugly for James Franklin when they lost against Michigan. Fans started questioning his caliber despite their bounce-back win against Rutgers the next week. But in that very moment, TE Theo Johnson stepped up, supporting his coach, and said, “He gave everyone in that room a chance and an opportunity,” Johnson said. “And for some guys, he saved their lives.” Now, that’s the kind of bond Franklin shares with his team. He’s out there building a program based on relationships, and that’s clearly visible.
And that approach is still the same. It’s not just about building a relationship with one player but with the entire locker room. Even Penn State’s star QB Drew Allar highlights the same on CBS Sports. “Oh, really close, a really close bond. Coach Franklin has been unbelievable to me and my family just because we’ve had to deal with stuff that he’s gone through and him being a tremendous resource for me and really the whole team. It’s not just me. Like, you can literally go up to his office anytime and text him, and his door is always open,” Allar said.
Drew Allar has steadily improved since arriving at Penn State, with 2024 marking his breakout year. He surged from under 60% completion in his first two seasons to an impressive 66.5%. His yards per attempt also climbed from 6.8 to 8.4. Clear signs of true QB1 potential. Another small improvement this season could easily land him in the top five of the 2026 NFL Draft. And that progress was echoed by Franklin himself. “Drew has made tremendous growth every single year,” he said on Big 10 media days. “All the way back to recruiting.”
But he doesn’t just believe in Drew Allar when things are going well. He supports him through every challenge. Remember when Allar went 13-23 for 123 yards with a costly interception while just completing 52% of his passes against ND? It didn’t just end their championship hopes but also let down the entire fan base. Despite that, James Franklin stood tall beside him, believing in Allar’s caliber. And after the game ended, he made sure Allar was not facing the media’s wrath alone. “He invested so much into his development but also into his teammates and into Penn State, and he’ll handle this like he handles everything else,” Franklin said.
Now, that support and trust pushed Drew Allar to make a return to Happy Valley for one last time for some unfinished business. “The reason why I came back is because I know the bond I have with him and Coach K (Andy Kotelnicki) and really the whole coaching staff as a whole.” But with that excitement comes the immense pressure of winning a championship this season.
Drew Allar opens up about the pressure of winning
Allar’s back on the field, and he is looking to prove something. It is more than moving on from last year’s disappointment. Penn State’s 13–1 season and stellar defense ended abruptly in the semis. Allar’s late desperation pass went straight to Notre Dame’s Christian Gray. Then a quick field goal sealed their fate. It was brutal, and fans were furious. Franklin faced the familiar heat. Another crucial game, another tough loss. Boosters voiced their concerns, too. The pressure is definitely on.
And then the same happened against the Oregon Ducks. Despite having a solid game going, 20 of 39 for 236 yards and three touchdowns, Drew Allar threw 2 costly interceptions. Those losses now put a lot of pressure on him. But Allar isn’t sweating over them anymore. “I think it’s sticking to our process at the end of the day. Obviously, we recognize that there are games that we have to, you know, find a way to win.” Allar said. “And I think that’s, you know, the exciting part, and like the frustrating part at the same time is we know how close we were in the games last year that we did lose because they were all one-score games except the Oregon game, which was like 10 or 13 points.”
Look, Drew Allar knows he needs to make a splash, and James Franklin just gave him the tools. How? Franklin scrapped the old playbook and made a huge move, spending $9 million to bring defensive guru Jim Knowles over from Ohio State on a three-year contract. That got everyone’s attention. But Franklin wasn’t done. He also revamped the offense, adding Devonte Ross, who had over 1,000 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns at Troy. This was followed by getting Trebor Pena from Syracuse. Penn State also has the powerful running back tandem of Nick Singleton and Allen, who combined for over 2,200 rushing yards.
Now, more than anything, it’s about Drew Allar’s mental approach and how well he takes up the charge this season. Even he knows the stakes pretty well. “And for me, I think it’s, you know, I’ve had a lot of conversations with coaches on how do I do that? And it’s really about the mental approach to the game,” Allar said. Now, with James Franklin’s support and his mental toughness, let’s wait and see if this is the year for the Nittany Lions to finally end their championship drought.
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