Drew Allar could be 'The Difference' for Penn State - ESPN

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — In the predawn darkness, Drew Allar pulls his SUV into the Penn State football facility every Monday around 5:45 a.m. He beats many of the coaches into the building and often starts his day by slugging down a blueberry lemonade flavored G.O.A.T. Fuel.

The drink is consumed for the caffeine jolt, not the inspiration. But as Allar enters his fourth and final season as Penn State's quarterback, he remains locked in on finding the elusive edges that will allow the collision of his talent and development to lead to a breakthrough for the program, his coach and his own promising career.

Allar, 21, is a throwback quarterback who has come of age in perhaps the flashiest era in college football history. Allar bloomed so late that he didn't start at Medina High School until four games remained in his sophomore year. He is appreciative of waiting his turn to start at Penn State behind Sean Clifford, and multiple coaches pointed out that he still dates his high school sweetheart.

After 26 wins as a starter the past three seasons, and possessing the raw potential at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds to be the top quarterback picked in the 2026 NFL draft, Allar knows what's next will determine both his Penn State legacy and professional trajectory. And he knows exactly how he'll do it.

«I think it's kind of my story,» Allar told ESPN recently. «It's about the process, and not really the end result. So just immersing yourself in the hard work, the unseen work.»

The last time we saw Allar on a national stage, he trudged off the field in the wake of perhaps the most punitive interception thrown during the 2024 season. Allar's interception in the final minute led directly to Notre Dame's game-winning field goal with 7 seconds