Nitt Clips: Watch QB Drew Allar throw during private workout
Medina quarterback Drew Allar just experienced what will likely go down as the most satisfying month of his life.
When you’re a high school quarterback in Ohio with all the measurables, all the stats and everything a school could want off the field (3.6 GPA), the hope is that you’ll be recognized for your work at some point. That already happened, to some extent, before 2021, as Allar earned a handful of offers after his 2019 season, but the past six weeks have been like nothing he's seen before, with Michigan, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Washington all making the move to extend a scholarship offer.
“I didn’t really expect all these offers to happen. I worked for all of it, so I wanted it, but I didn’t know it was going to happen though,” Allar said. “But honestly, I was just really grateful we even had a season in the fall. I know my teammates were [appreciative] and we took advantage of it, going as far as we did for the first time in school history.”
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After starting their season 0-2, Allar and his teammates took advantage of every school making the playoffs in Ohio this year. Earning the No. 8 seed in Region I of Division I, Medina went on to defeat No. 1 seed St. Edward, 35-31, followed by another powerhouse program, St. Ignatius, 33-26, the following week. The Battling Bees’ season ultimately fell short of a state championship, losing to Mentor in the regional championship, but by then, Allar had already proven what a few schools had seen after his sophomore season. He finished the year with 2,962 yards passing and 26 touchdowns.
“I’m still not where I want to be at,” Allar said, when asked where his game stands currently. “There’s a lot of things I need to improve on, but I think the two biggest things are the mental game, because you can never be good enough at that. Just the mental preparation and breaking down different defenses, but also, just being more consistent with accuracy and stuff like that. We air it out [a lot]. It has to be around 40 times a game, so I just want to be more consistent completion-wise. If I can do that, it’ll be pretty hard to stop.”
He may not be where he wants to be currently, but his trainer, Brad Maendler, told BlueandGold.com this week that he has the tools to not only play at the next level, but succeed against the best competition.
“His arm strength is special,” Maendler said. “I’ve seen him throw a football 70-plus yards, and it’s effortless. And his deep ball is accurate. He also throws with great touch and can layer the ball in the intermediate pass game. Arm talent is an overused phrase, but he’s got it in spades.
“Another strength is his processing speed. You will not see him hold the ball too long. His ability to throw on rhythm, anticipate open throws and take what the defense gives him is really impressive.”
Despite already holding a commitment from four-star signal-caller Beau Pribula, Penn State is believed to be one of the schools that has his attention the most. Although he hasn’t publicly stated that any schools lead, the fact that Allar and his family drove out to State College about three weeks ago for a self-guided tour is a great sign.
“It was a really cool experience. Obviously, I couldn’t see any of the coaches or go into the facilities, but it was nice just being able to tour the campus by myself and with my family,” Allar said. "It was good to get the sense for what it would be like to be a student there, and not really just a student-athlete. I really got a sense for what it would be like just to go to school.”
Penn State only offered Allar a little over four weeks ago, but as most Nittany Lion fans know by now, it’s his relationship with new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich that has put PSU in the mix. That relationship goes back to the fall, and they’ve only become closer in recent weeks.
“I started talking to him at Texas around November, but when he got the job at Penn State is when it really started picking up. I don’t know how many times we talk a week, but we talk a lot. [Our relationship has] really been able to flourish.”
Allar said he’s also been in contact with head coach James Franklin, “multiple times, either through Zoom or phone calls or FaceTime.” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh also had an extended talk with Allar earlier this week, and former Penn State assistant turned Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis is another coach he speaks with regularly.
But the school many believe will prove to be Penn State’s top competitor is Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish just offered last week, and Allar went to South Bend in Feb. 2020 for a junior day, so there is some familiarity, albeit limited.
“It’s pretty crazy, just because Notre Dame is really selective in general, especially at quarterback,” Allar said, when asked what the offer meant to him. “So, it’s pretty crazy that they’ve shown enough interest in me to offer me. It’s an historic school, especially academically. It has a rich history in football, so it’s a really exciting offer.”
One thing that Allar has consistently stressed throughout 2021 is that he’s in no rush. “Taking it slow,” is a quote he’s uttered on many occasions, but he also told Notre Dame reporter Mike Singer last week that when he knows what school is right for him, he won’t hesitate to make a move.
“I’ll have a feeling of which school will be the one for me, but I’m not sure when that will be,” Allar said. “It could be any time really, but hopefully I’ll have it done before my senior season starts.”
- Jackets Online recruiting analyst Russell Johnson contributed to this report
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