He really impressed me with his toughness this year. If his O-Line can protect, I think he can have a big year. This is huge for PSU as they needed one more bridge year before Drew Allar will be ready to start.
Allar was the QB of my local HS this year and WOW, what a prospect!
I REALLY think that PSU is poised for a MAJOR improvement next year. They went 7-5 this year but the losses were:
- In OT to Illinois
- By a FG on the road to the team currently ranked #10
- By a FG on the road to the team currently ranked #15
- By four at home to the team currently ranked #2
- By nine on the road to the team currently ranked #6
So four of their five losses were to teams ranked in the top-15 and three of their five losses were on the road.
Their conference road games this year were:
- #6 Ohio State
- #10 Michigan State
- #15 Iowa
- nr but very good Wisconsin
- Maryland
Their conference road games next year are:
- Michigan
- Purdue
- Indiana
- Rutgers
Also their cross-overs go from:
- at Wisconsin
- at Iowa
- vs Illinois
This year to:
- at Purdue
- vs Illinois
- vs Minnesota
Next year.
My point being that Penn State's schedule gets LOTS easier next year and they were already THISCLOSE to being a great team this year. If they improve even by a miniscule amount, that improvement and their easier schedule could EASILY result in an 11-1 year. It isn't crazy to imagine them going 12-0. It also might help them that next year's schedule is surprisingly front loaded. Of their four November opponents next year (IU, UMD, MN, RU) only MN finished above .500 in the league.
They have a HUGE October next year. It starts with Ohio State in Happy Valley on October 1 then Michigan in Ann Arbor a week later. Then they come home for Illinois then take a week off then host Michigan State on October 29.
