Sometimes for things to succeed you need to be a match made in Heaven. Fit matters. Personality matters. It just makes sense.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, Drew Allar and Mike McCarthy may very well be that match in which the light shines upon.
While many fans and media alike have doubted the Steelers’ third-round pick, and the head coach tasked with turning him into an NFL-quality quarterback, the duo could up being one that silences those doubters.
The Steelers selected tackle Max Iheanachor and wide receiver Germie Bernard in the first two rounds before taking Allar, a 6-foot-5 quarterback from Penn State whose tools have his biggest believers saying he could be special if paired with the right head coach.
A preseason Heisman candidate for the Nittany Lions and projected first-round pick, Allar completed 65% of his passes for 1,100 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions in six games. He missed the second half of the season due to a season-ending ankle injury.
A three-year starter, Allar concluded his Penn State career with 7,402 passing yards, 61 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 45 games, and he began his career with 311 pass attempts without an interception, the most in FBS history. He also brings a resume that leaves some to be desired, leading Penn State to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2024 and was minutes away from going to the National Championship.
With less than a minute left, Allar threw a costly interception against Notre Dame. The Irish set up for a game-winning field goal. Allar and Penn State’s dreams were over. Plays like that, as well as his combined 0-5 record against Ohio State and Michigan, are why he slid to the third round. However, a lot of those struggles can be tied back to coaching and the offensive system Penn State ran.
Even before Allar became the starter at Penn State, former head coach James Franklin had severe problems when it came to winning big games, finishing his Penn State career 4-21 against Top 10 teams and 4-17 against Ohio State and Michigan. It was also rare to see Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki allow Allar to take shots downfield unless they were trailing.
It seemed evident to many that the Nittany Lions played too conservative, never letting their gifted passer do what he does best, which is sling the ball downfield. And it’s not just myself or other Allar truthers saying that. Penn State associate head coach Terry Smith said as much in an appearance on 93.7 The Fan.
“I’ve been known as like ‘the truth teller’ here at Penn State,” Smith said. “I think unfairly for Drew, our system wasn’t built for him. It wasn’t made for him. Some of the decisions were taken out of his control.”
“I think unfairly to Drew, our system wasn’t built for him” Penn State Coach Terry Smith on Allar. @kdpomp @joestarkey1 @austinrbechtold pic.twitter.com/oAqtnQ8gP5
Kotelnicki ran an RPO offense in his two years at Penn State. He often called designed runs and rollouts to get his quarterbacks on the move. It’s a system that would have worked great for Beau Pribula, who transferred to Missouri during the playoff run, but not Allar.
Penn State tried to put a square peg into a round hole. The OC tried to make Allar something that he wasn’t.
Allar didn’t run at the NFL Combine or Penn State’s Pro Day, and he doesn’t have speed like Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, or others who are constantly on the move.
No, it’s not. You’d think the program would cater to their five-star quarterback’s big arm, pocket presence, and ability to read defenses. Penn State never adjusted, until it was too late in big games and too late for the coaching staff.
“He’s a guy that can make every throw, he’s super smart, he’s a fast learner [who] picks things up very quickly,” Smith said.
A Gateway native, Smith served as interim head coach for the final seven games and won four in a row, including the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson.
He was asked why Penn State didn’t let Allar loose and let the gunslinger put the Nittany Lions on his back.
“That’s a question I can’t answer, I wasn’t the head coach at that point.”
Smith never directly coached a game with Allar as quarterback after taking over following the injury.