Penn State’s Inconsistent Passing Game: Breaking Out of the Tier with a New Offensive Coordinator and More Productive Wide Receivers

Penn State’s wide receiver group was the focus of attention during the previous season due to their inconsistent performance and lack of explosiveness. Despite having a 25:2 touchdown to interception ratio, starting quarterback Drew Allar did not have a great season. ESPN’s David Hale ranked all 134 FBS QB situations, and Penn State did not rank as high as expected for a likely top-10 team.

Allar, who was the No. 2 ranked pocket passer in the Class of 2022, came to Penn State with high expectations that have yet to be met. Despite being the starting quarterback for only one season, Allar struggled with throwing deep balls, ranking last in the percentage of throws that traveled at least 20 yards downfield in the air.

This lack of aggressiveness in the passing game is a significant reason why ESPN’s rankings place Penn State’s quarterback situation in tier seven out of 20 tiers. Allar’s ability to throw the deep ball could determine the success of the Nittany Lions’ playoff push this year.

The other quarterbacks in tier seven, known as “The Curse of ’22,” include highly recruited signal callers like Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Duke’s Maalik Murphy. Allar will need to break out of this underachieving tier with the help of a new offensive coordinator and a more productive wide receiver room.

Heading into the upcoming season, Penn State’s passing game is a top storyline to watch. Success in this area will be crucial for the team to achieve its ambitious goals. The hope is that with improvements in the quarterback play and wide receiver production, Penn State can make a strong push for a playoff berth.