Penn State coach says offense was poor fit for Drew Allar

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Drew Allar #15 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts against the UCLA Bruins during the third quarter at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 04, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Pittsburgh Steelers’ addition of quarterback Drew Allar was one of the stories of the 2026 NFL Draft, as the Steelers have set up a quarterback battle between the Penn State product and second-year quarterback Will Howard. Regardless of if Aaron Rodgers returns or not, Allar and Howard will both have a chance to prove that they can be the future of the Steelers.

There have been many detractors toward Allar and the Steelers’ decision to draft him, many harping back on his messy footwork and decision-making when the play breaks down. Additionally, he had spotty performances against lesser teams like Villanova in 2025. Those who push back on the struggles point to the Andy Kotelnicki offense being a terrible fit for Allar – and one of Allar’s Penn State coaches agrees.

Joining 93. 7 The Fan, Penn State associate head coach Terry Smith says the offense was a bad fit for Allar . “I’ve been known as the truth teller here at Penn State,” Smith said.

“And I think unfairly to Drew, our system wasn’t built for him. It wasn’t made for him. Some of the decisions were taken out of his control.