When your old nemesis becomes your new sensei, you either win big or get exposed. For Drew Allar, now a third-year starter at Penn State, it’s the former. Or at least that’s what he’s betting on. After two straight seasons of getting boxed in by DC Jim Knowles’ dominant Ohio State defense, he isn’t running from those ghosts. Because the former Buckeyes DC is now calling shots in Happy Valley and the QB is seriously taking notes. So what’s the move?

Back-to-back years, Ohio State had Drew Allar’s number. In 2023, he completed just 18-of-43 passes for 191 yards. In 2024, he went 12-of-20 for 146 yards and an interception. Penn State lost on both occasions (12-20 and 13-20, respectively). But now, the man who gave a tough time to the Nittany Lions QB is in his meeting room. As Allar revealed on Cover 3 Podcast on July 23, James Franklin would conduct cross-ball meetings, where defensive coaches would be present at offensive meetings. “So, Coach Knowles was in our meetings a lot just because of the position we play,” he said. “Being able to hear him talk about football and kind of see it from a different perspective… Hearing him talk about it has been really good for my knowledge.” And for a QB to hear the “why” behind defensive calls, that’s like unlocking a cheat code.

Ahead of his Year 3 with Penn State, Drew Allar is starting to truly understand defense for the first time. As he mentioned, he would sit down with his DC and OC and other analysts to view their scouting reports on their offensive players. “Also, just sit down and watch the game between us and Ohio State last year. That’s been really valuable to me,” he added. Through these sit downs, he was able to learn that he puts too much air under his deep throws. “I never really heard that before, and I thought that was a good perspective shift for me,” he said. 

It helps that DC Jim Knowles didn’t just dominate at OSU. His 2024 Buckeyes ranked No. 1 nationally in major defensive categories like scoring defense and total defense. So when he called James Franklin just two days after winning the national title for a DC spot, the HC didn’t hesitate. Now, he inherits a Penn State defense that ranked sixth in yards per play allowed in 2024. He won’t be rebuilding, just fine-tuning. And Drew Allar, with 53 touchdown passes and just 10 picks in his career, is clearly the centerpiece of this title-contending roster. The numbers are there. But are the big wins?

How will Drew Allar perform in Year 3?

Drew Allar isn’t just some stat-padding QB. He owns a 62.9% career completion rate, the best by a Penn State starter. His 1.19% interception rate is the lowest in school history. And his 153.3 passer efficiency rating last year is eighth best in the Power 5. But when the lights are brightest, his output has dimmed. Against ranked opponents, he’s struggled. A 114.4 passer rating over 10 games. That ranks 80th among Power 5 QBs over the last two years. Penn State fans know it. The QB knows it. And 2025 might be his last shot to flip the script.

Fortunately, the table is set. Penn State ranks 10th in returning offensive production. It’s Year 2 for OC Andy Kotelnicki. And Drew Allar’s decision-making has sharpened, the dead-end throw rate dropped 7% from 2023 to 2024. That kind of leap ranks 12th-best in the CFP era. Still, in two games against OSU and one vs. Michigan, his offense has managed just one touchdown. That’s not going to cut it.“I’m just doing everything I can to prepare myself for those moments and not taking any of these moments for granted,” Drew Allar said at Big Ten Media Days.

After a 13-3 season that ended in playoff heartbreak, the urgency is real. And if Penn State finally wins the big one? They’ll have Jim Knowles and one very self-aware quarterback to thank. With Oregon, UCLA, and that massive Oct. 18 rematch vs. Ohio State all on deck, Drew Allar’s growth, forged under the harsh spotlight and Jim Knowles’ tough-love tutoring might just be the difference between another near-miss and a national title.