PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It might change your thoughts about Steelers third-round pick and former Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar when you hear what former Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said on the Pomp and Joe Show Monday.
Smith, still on the PSU staff as the associate head coach, told 93.7 The Fan that James Franklin and the offensive staff didn’t design a system for the five-star quarterback.
“I’ve been known as the truth-teller at Penn State,” Smith told Joe Starkey and Bob Pompeani. “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.”
Smith added on 93.7 The Fan that Allar could only run the offense he was asked to run. He wasn’t put in position to make plays. Not that Allar was blameless, but saw more of his struggles on the coaching staff.
He said Allar was asked to make designed runs, but that isn’t his strength. The 6’5”, 235 pounder is more of a scrambler, but was given plays that were hard for him to run.
“The Oregon game we struggled offensively, later in the third and fourth quarter we started to move the ball in a two-minute offense,” Smith said on the Pomp & Joe Show on 93.7 The Fan. “It just shows what he is capable of when you unleashed him. In two-minute situations you can’t be conservative, you got to move the ball.”
Around him his whole college career, Smith said there’s not a throw Allar cannot make. He could be on the far hash throwing to the bottom of the numbers on a rope 20 yards. He described his arm as a cannon, where he could launch it 70-75 yards. Smith said he really started to understand defenses & is a quick learner, just often was put in too many conservative situations with his average, but Smith said, adequate speed.
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As for beginning with the Steelers, Smith, an admitted Steelers fan, actually hopes the future Hall of Famer returns.
“I think in the best scenario you want a guy like Aaron Rodgers to come back and to teach a guy like this how to be a pro,” Smith told Joe Starkey & Bob Pompeani on 93.7 The Fan. “How to be a pro’s pro.”
“There is no greater teacher than being on the grass, being on the field and seeing it for yourself. But, when you look at the majority of success in quarterbacks there has been a guy that taught him and a guy they learned behind.”
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The Penn State associate head coach tells 93.7 The Fan he anticipates Allar and Howard will split time and reps, although he admits he doesn’t know a lot of the new Steelers coaching staff. Smith helped with the defense who played against Howard two years ago and said of the Steelers second-year QB at Ohio State.
“Will could make throws, we didn’t think he had an overly strong arm but we thought he could make all of the throws and he was a smart decision-maker,” Smith said on the Pomp & Joe Show. “We tried to send confusion and pre-snap disguises and moving late in coverages. Will had a great advantage because they have unbelievable receivers.”
Smith sees Allar winning that competition with Howard, albeit likely biased at least in some regard. Even after Allar broke his ankle last year, Smith was impressed with senior quarterback’s desire to stay around the guys and be there for the younger quarterbacks and his teammates.
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“He’s a great leader,” Smith said on 93.7 The Fan. “The guy is going to lead the locker room. He’s going to lead by example. He’s not a me-guy. He’s not a social media guy. He’s going to grab his lunch pail and come to work every day and give the best that he has every single day.”
“I think he will be a better pro than a college player.”
LISTEN to what Terry Smith told the Pomp & Joe Show about new Steelers QB
LISTEN to what Terry Smith told the Pomp & Joe Show about new Steelers QB
