Steelers' Drew Allar May Have Been Set Up For Failure At Penn State: "Our System Wasn't Built For Him"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a brand new project at quarterback and, finally, some hope for the future. They selected a very talented quarterback in Drew Allar 76th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Allar fell to the third round after a disastrous season at Penn State, which ended early due to an ankle injury. Allar likely won't be the starter in 2026 for Pittsburgh, but he may be in play for 2027. While Aaron Rodgers continues to wait to give his official decision about his future playing career, the quarterbacks going into the season are currently Will Howard, Mason Rudolph, and Allar. Rudolph would likely be the starter, being the veteran, leaving Allar and Howard to duke it out for the QB2 spot. 

In the 2026 season, Allar should be able to sit back and take it all in -- learning and absorbing as much information as possible. New head coach Mike McCarthy should be a big help with that, being known as a quarterback guru. The footwork, reading the defense, and going through progressions are all things Allar can improve on. These are all things McCarthy has drilled into other quarterbacks, and he can likely do it with Allar too. The third-round pick will be stepping into a solid supporting cast with the Steelers, which will work to his strengths. This is something he may not have had in the past. 

Penn State's assistant coach and former interim head coach Terry Smith recently appeared on 93.7 The Fan, where he talked about the Allar selection. Smith admitted that the Nittany Lions' system wasn't built for Allar, plaguing his college career. Smith goes on to credit Allar as a player, saying he's smart, talented, and that he needs the right coaching. 

"I've been known as like, the truth-teller here at Penn State. And, you know, I think unfairly to Drew, our system wasn't built for him; it wasn't made for him," Smith said. "Some of the decisions were taken out of his control. He's a guy that can make every throw, he's super smart, he's a fast learner, he picks things up really quickly."

Smith gets into specifics about how Penn State perhaps didn't use Allar to his full potential. He mentions how they did not match his playstyle, forcing Allar to be a running quarterback more often than he should have. This slowed his progress to allow him to use his biggest strength: his rocket arm. 

"Well, we asked Drew to run the ball a little more. He's a pro, like a pro-style quarterback. He's not built for running, but he can when necessary. And so, you know, when you have designated called runs, that's not him," Smith explained. "You know, he's not Michael Vick or one of these athletic quarterbacks in that sense, but he can extend the play and move out of the pocket when necessary." 

Luckily for Allar, he likely won't have to run much in McCarthy's system. Rodgers never had to be much of a runner outside of scrambling situations. McCarthy also helped Dak Prescott use his mind and arm, rather than relying on his legs. 

Prescott was always a naturally gifted runner, and McCarthy did utilize that at times. Allar likely won't have plays like that due to his mobility, which allows him to focus on just playing quarterback and making the necessary throws. 

Steelers May Have Been Allar's Best Potential Landing Spot

The NFL has seemingly had a quarterback development problem over the last decade or so. A big reason for that is forcing young quarterbacks to play early. Then, when they struggle, giving up on them prematurely. Allar shouldn't have to deal with that. He will most likely not touch the field as a rookie. 

The pressure won't be on Allar, like it was at Penn State. Perhaps he could benefit greatly from a coach who works with his strengths while ironing out his weaknesses. 

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