Penn State OC Mike Yurcich breaks down Drew Allar, lack of explosiveness and the offense so far

Mike Yurcich has known Drew Allar for a while now. He was integral in Penn State’s recruitment of Allar. He’s worked with the sophomore quarterback for almost two years, going back to when Allar enrolled as a true freshman in January 2022.

So none of what Allar has shown through five games as the starter has surprised Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

“He’s done a really good job thus far taking what the defense is giving him and being patient,” Yurcich said on a Tuesday conference call with reporters. “He’s been really good so far and consistent. Hasn’t forced the ball, which with a young quarterback you tend to see that happen. He hasn’t done that. Hasn’t played perfect by any stretch. But he’s shown really good progress, and I like where he’s headed.”

Allar largely has impressed, entering the bye week with a 5-0 record. The 6-foot-5, 242-pounder has completed 102 of 158 passes (64.6%) for 1,092 yards, nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. He’s also added two rushing touchdowns.

Allar opened the season with a sterling 325-yard, three-touchdown performance against West Virginia. Since then, he’s been more of a game manager. As Yurcich mentioned, the sophomore has taken what the defense has given him and hasn’t turned the ball over. Those are good signs for a young passer.

“But we have to continue to get better,” Yurcich said. “There’s room for growth across the board from just about every aspect. Footwork, moving in the pocket, identifying defenses, the RPO game, the dropback game, quick game, all that stuff. There’s not one glaring aspect to me that has really outshined something else. It’s kind of all-encompassing, getting better and more well-rounded.”

Yurcich spent 20 minutes being asked about Allar and the rest of the offense. Here are the rest of the noteworthy pieces of insight and information.

Lack of explosiveness

The Nittany Lions are averaging 40.6 points per game and rank among the best in first downs (128, 10th in the FBS), red-zone touchdown conversion rate (78.9%, 13th) and fourth-down conversions (90.1%, fifth). Those are the positives.

But it’s no secret the Nittany Lions are lacking big plays. Penn State has only 12 plays of 20-plus yards. That’s tied for the second-fewest in the FBS with N.C. State, East Carolina and Northwestern. Only Sam Houston State has fewer.

After the win at Northwestern, Allar and James Franklin recognized it as an area of focus for the bye week. Yurcich concurred.

“Not satisfied with it so far. We need to continue to grow there, both run and pass,” Yurcich said. “We have to find explosives, throwing the ball down the field when given the opportunity to do so. We’re seeing softer coverage at inopportune times, so that’s part of it. It’s timing and making sure we’re getting into good looks, which is something I can control, making sure we’re doing a better job play-wise.

“I think that the biggest key is taking what the defense is giving us. To a certain extent, it’s being patient. Methodically moving the football down the field is good to keep our defense off the field. But we know we have to be more explosive. We’re going to work real hard on it. This bye week gives us an opportunity to self-scout and to attack areas we need to address.”

Running game

Yurcich does believe Penn State is playing “winning football right now.” The Nittany Lions are putting together long drives, which is difficult to do. They have to appreciate and take pride in that, he said.

A big part of that has been the ground game. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have fought for tough yards, and the offensive line has worn defenses down. Look no further than when Penn State beat Iowa at its own game a couple weeks ago.

Still, Yurcich sees room for improvement. Penn State has only two rushes of 20-plus yards — one by backup quarterback Beau Pribula and another by third-string tailback Trey Potts. This time last year, Singleton had six on his own.

The lack of breakaway runs is partially on the running backs.

“It’s continuing to trust their instincts, trust their vision and their speed,” Yurcich said. “It’s continuing to iron out the finer points of each run that we’re running and seeing the big picture of things, why we’re doing what we’re doing and what we’re trying to set up. That will hopefully increase our explosiveness in the run game.”

And it’s partially on the offense line.

“The improvements that have to be made are continuing to execute better in the run game when the numbers are equal in the box. Come away with more yardage, come off with a lower hat, to get more vertical when vertical runs are called. Continuing to come off and double team and move people at the point of attack.”

Wide receiver review

KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been the clear-cut No. 1 option in the passing game. Yurcich called him the “spark that we’ve needed” and “a guy we can count on.”

The rest of the receiver room? Not so much.

“We’re a work in progress there. We’re still trying to find the right pieces,” Yurcich said. Especially with Harrison Wallace III missing time due to injury, Penn State has tried multiple receiver combinations to see if one clicks. “We need to see who emerges from that. … Time is ticking.”

One area in particular Yurcich has been less than satisfied with is timing and communication. There were several instances at Northwestern of Allar throwing to a spot and his receiver wasn’t there.

“It’s a big concern for me right now and to our entire staff. We have to remedy that fast,” Yurcich said. “We have to be on point with our landmarks and our depth of routes and our timing. That is something we’re going to address.”