James Franklin sets clear expectations for Drew Allar as Penn State prepares to win the national championship in 2025

Penn State coach James Franklin on Tuesday offered his thoughts on what he expects from quarterback Drew Allar heading into his senior season in 2025. Allar comes off a junior season in which he helped the Nittany Lions reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.

When asked about his expectations for Allar in 2025 in an interview with On3, Franklin said that he simply hopes to see his young signal-caller continue to grow in all aspects of his game (Timestamp: 8:55):

"You look at his numbers, you look at his wins, you look at his completion percentage, you look at his touchdown to interception ratio is off the charts. This year, he took a big step in terms of his ability to make plays with his legs. Last year he was – or two years ago – he was 6-foot-5, 242 pounds.

"This year, he was like, 6-foot-5, 235, and was able to keep people honest with his legs, which is such a big part of college football and even the NFL now. I just think that's the next thing for him to do: continue growing in all those areas. He's an extremely driven and motivated guy.

"He wants to be great, he approaches in the right way – both mentally and physically. And I just think he's going to continue to take steps in the right direction this year."

Allar passed for 3,327 yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions last season. On the ground, Allar rushed the football 96 times for 302 yards and six scores.

With a big improvement in 2025, Allar is hoping to take Penn State to its first national championship since 1986.

Penn State hoping to reach national championship in 2025 behind Drew Allar

Orange Bowl: Notre Dame at Penn State - Source: Imagn

Penn State went 13-3 and finished ranked No. 5 last season. They defeated SMU and Boise State in the CFP. The Nittany Lions came up short to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the semifinals 27-24.

Now, Penn State will return in 2025 behind Allar to compete in a loaded Big Ten. Oregon, Indiana, national champion Ohio State and Illinois all finished with double-digit wins last season, with all but Illinois making the CFP.