James Franklin faces significant pressure this season, and he acknowledges it. Penn State isn’t simply playoff-bound. They’re gunning to take the whole thing. While the Nittany Lions hold a strong 34-8 record since 2022, their performance against top teams dims that luster: they’re only 2-7 against top-10 opponents and 0-6 against top-five teams in the last three years. But this year feels different. With Drew Allar returning, Franklin observes his emergence as a genuine leader. And if Allar’s progress continues, it could finally give the Nittany Lions the edge they’ve been chasing.

Drew Allar is simply electrifying, and his stats prove it. Last season, he tore through defenses, completing 71.6% of his passes (5th nationally) and achieving a 167.5 passer rating (7th nationally). This isn’t chance. It’s elite talent. He passed for 3,327 yards, threw 24 touchdowns, and only had eight interceptions, maintaining a consistent 66.5% completion rate overall. Every statistic highlights his consistency and accuracy, clearly demonstrating why he’s a top college quarterback.

And now he’s building on that success, as James Franklin states bluntly on NBC Sports. “If you look at him all the way from his recruiting process, he got better from his junior to senior year and significantly from his senior to his freshman year and so on and so forth. And I think it’s going to be the same thing this year. He just needs to continue to get a little bit better in every area. But when you get to this point of your career, getting a little bit better is harder and harder to do, right? The margins, you know, become smaller,” he said.

Drew Allar had a great regular season, no question. But playoff Allar? He wasn’t the same guy. His completion rate didn’t reach 60% in any of the four postseason games, and he barely surpassed 171 passing yards against SMU, Boise State, and Notre Dame. The Notre Dame game was the worst, with a 92.8 passer rating in their biggest contest. Even so, he did lead Penn State to 13 wins, showing his ability.

While the supporting cast didn’t help, Allar’s stats also tell a story. He has a 12.5-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. This places him second nationally behind Bo Nix. This shows that despite the struggles, he showed flashes of elite potential. And Franklin points straight at it: “And then always he’s done a great job with touchdown to interception ratio, one of the best in the country. We need to continue to build on that. And then completion percentage so that more guys can get touches, we can extend drives, and there are more opportunities to score points and get more players involved.” Now, with Allar’s development, James Franklin’s new hire of $9.3 million is also creating buzz in the college football landscape.

James Franklin gets real on Jim Knowles

Jim Knowles’ departure to Penn State was a significant blow to Ryan Day’s Buckeyes, considering his crucial role in their recent national title run. For three years, Knowles led Ohio State’s defense, culminating in a dominant 2024 season where his unit topped the nation in scoring defense, total defense, yards per play allowed, touchdowns per play allowed, and opponent red zone touchdowns.

This wasn’t an accident. Since, in 2023, Knowles’ defense was similarly impressive, ranking third overall, first against the pass, and 18th against the run, showcasing the consistency and elite nature of his defensive schemes. But that support ended when money dominated the talk. And his move now sees him earning $3.1 million over three years, making him the highest-paid DC.

Now, his presence is making an instant impact on James Franklin’s team, and he’s right out there addressing it. “Well, first of all, he’s been great. He doesn’t say a whole lot. He’s a man of few words.” Franklin said. “He’s from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and went to St. Joe’s Prep, one of the more prestigious high schools in the United States. And then obviously we’ve been able to compete against each other for the last couple years. When he was at Duke as a defense coordinator, he came and visited us for a couple days. So, that was helpful.”

Well, the moment they got the opportunity, Penn State swiftly filled its DC opening after Tom Allen’s move to Clemson. The Lions, already boasting a top-10 defense last year, allowing only 294.8 yards and 16.5 points per game, are now reloading. “So, he’s got a unique perspective on the conference. He’s got a unique perspective on us. And this spring has been phenomenal,” Franklin added. While losing Abdul Carter and Kevin Winston Jr. to the draft hurts, Zane Durant anchors the interior, and Zakee Wheatley returns to solidify the secondary. The pieces are in place, and adding Jim Knowles feels like a significant move to maintain their elite defensive status.