Penn State Football: Drew Allar’s Winter Training Focus Revealed
Penn State’s strength coach shares insight into the offseason training plan for the Nittany Lions’ starting quarterback.
In each of his two seasons as Penn State’s starting quarterback, Drew Allar has shown improvement. In 2024, he set personal bests with 3,327 passing yards, a 66.5% completion rate, 302 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, and a 153.5 rating. Now, the Nittany Lions are hoping for another significant leap from their QB1 this offseason.
Heading into his final spring with the team, Allar has cemented his role as a leader, improved his mobility, and become more comfortable with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s system. So, what’s next for his development? Penn State strength coach Chuck Losey recently provided insight into Allar’s offseason focus, along with that of the team’s youngest quarterback, Bekkem Kritza.
The Next Steps for Drew Allar
Allar is regarded as one of the most talented and experienced quarterbacks in college football heading into 2025. However, despite leading Penn State to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season, Allar still has areas to refine. While he displayed flashes of elite passing ability, he also experienced moments of inconsistency, mobility challenges, and decision-making struggles.
With a few more adjustments in his development, Allar has the potential to elevate his game even further, possibly securing a spot near the top of the 2026 NFL Draft. Losey, who has been at Penn State since 2014 and began leading the performance enhancement program in 2022, has watched Allar evolve into a confident leader.
“You talk about Allar — maturity, confidence, commanding the room. Very impressed,” Losey recently said to reporters in State College.
Last spring, the focus was on Allar’s footwork, mobility, and refining his body movements to maximize his strong frame as a quarterback. He showed noticeable improvements in 2024. So, what’s next for Allar’s training?
“Physically, it doesn’t change,” Losey explained. “His body composition is in a much better place this year, but his main focus is movement economy — making sure his short-area movement and mid-to-long distance speed are where they need to be.”
Allar showed progress in his pocket awareness and ability to maneuver within it, as well as in his ability to make plays with his legs when needed. Losey acknowledges that mobility remains a developmental area for Allar, but the expectation is that by August, he will be even sharper physically, potentially providing a boost to the offense, which will be looking for new key playmakers following the departure of Tyler Warren and two starting wide receivers.
“His footwork, foot speed, and body composition remain the focus for him,” Losey said.
Evaluating Penn State’s Newest Quarterback
Penn State currently has five quarterbacks on the roster, with Kritza joining the program this winter. Kritza, a 6-5, 195-pound, 3-star prospect, is ranked the No. 51 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class by the 247Sports Composite. With Allar, Ethan Grunkemeyer, and Jaxon Smolik ahead of him on the depth chart, Kritza is expected to develop this season.
When asked about Kritza’s potential, Losey described him as a “long, rangy guy” and highlighted room for physical development.
“If Bekkem is not where he needs to be in a year or two, then that’s on me from a development standpoint,” Losey said. “He’s a clean slate coming in, which can be an advantage over players who require reteaching.”
With Beau Pribula’s departure, Penn State’s quarterback room is less experienced heading into 2025. However, with Allar leading the way and four younger quarterbacks learning behind him, the Nittany Lions may be setting up strong depth at the position for the 2026 season.
“I think the whole quarterback room has shown consistency,” Losey said. “Drew, Grunk, Smolik, Jack Lambert — I think that whole room has been outstanding.”
For more from Losey, check out the full media session, courtesy of Blue-White Illustrated.
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