As expected, Drew Allar will be first up at QB for Penn State when spring drills begin

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State’s best veteran players in 2022 were also some of the top leaders on the team. No big surprise, right?

At this stage of 2023, 10th-year head coach James Franklin is hoping some new leaders emerge quickly to replace Sean Clifford, PJ Mustipher, Ji’Ayir Brown, Juice Scruggs and Jonathan Sutherland.

Franklin said Tuesday that the 2022 leadership group was “as good as we’ve had.”

He added: “I wouldn’t say that we have that right now.”

The Nittany Lions’ next quarterback is going to have to be a team leader, Franklin said. And his two choices are Drew Allar and Beau Pribula, both in their second year.

Allar, a five-star signee in the 2022 recruiting class, is the heavy favorite to claim Clifford’s old job.

And with the Lions now undergoing winter workouts, Franklin all but said it is Allar’s job to lose. Again, no big surprise, right?

“There’s going to be competition across the board at all of these positions,” said Franklin, with the start of spring drills a little more than a month away.

“But as you know, you have to put somebody out there first. Based on how the season ended and Drew’s role last year, then that would be him.”

Allar appeared in 10 games, completing 35 of 60 passes (58.3 percent) for 344 yards and four touchdowns. The youngster also added a rushing score.

Pribula, the Central York standout, was redshirted but he must get some significant work this offseason because the No. 3 quarterback will likely by true freshman Jaxon Smolik, a January enrollee.

“We’re going to need both of those guys, specifically Pribula and Allar,” Franklin said.

“It’s too early to speak on Smolik. But we’re going to need both of those guys, not only competing but also taking on a significant leadership role.

“Again, no one cares that they’re young, they’re in that position. And a big part of that position is leadership. Sean did a great job of that.”