Urban Meyer reveals why teams should 'watch out for Penn State'

Last year, Penn State made a run to the College Football Playoff in the inaugural 12-team bracket. The Nittany Lions eventually fell to Notre Dame in a nail-biter, ending the run.

Although Tyler Warren and Abdul Carter both left and became first-round picks, Penn State got plenty of top contributors back. Quarterback Drew Allar opted to return despite speculation about whether he’d declare for the NFL Draft, and the one-two punch of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen are also returning.

Add in one of the top offensive lines in the country, and Urban Meyer has a warning to opposing teams. He said they should “watch out” for the Nittany Lions, especially since he sees a blueprint similar to Ohio State and Michigan.

“Penn State is following the lead of the Wolverines and the Buckeyes,” Meyer told Colin Cowherd on The Herd. “And that is, they have more seniors – think about this, Colin. I never had a chance to coach fourth-year players. If I did, it was very rare,. The difference between a fourth-year player and a rookie, or a freshman, is night and day. You’re coaching grown-ass men. That’s a men’s locker room compared to a young person’s.

“Watch out for Penn State, man. If Drew Allar can really improve as a quarterback, I agree with you, they’ve got the best backfield – I don’t think it’s close – in the country. They’ve got an offensive line that they can’t wait to get on the field. I think Penn State, Texas and Ohio State are the most talented.”

James Franklin shares plan for Penn State backfield

Penn State has 65% of its production returning from last season, according to ESPN, led by the trio of Drew Allar, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Allar flourished in Andy Kotelnicki’s system in 2024 as he completed 66.7% of his passes for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns to eight interceptions.

The running game was also strong. Allen had 1,108 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while Singleton came in just behind him with 1,099 yards and a team-high 12 rushing scores. In fact, James Franklin said he wasn’t sure both players would wind up returning. However, he compared the plan for 2025 to the one Penn State used for its tight ends when Warren and Theo Johnson suited up for the Nittany Lions.

“To be honest, I was surprised when they both came back,” Franklin said. “I thought it was going to be similar to our tight ends situation, where we had Tyler Warren and Theo Johnson. Both tight ends, and one decided to leave, the other one stayed, or vice versa. I thought it was going to be similar, but I also think they have bought into our philosophy here.

“We don’t want to be in a situation where we’re sending a running back to the NFL and he’s got 400 carries on a season, and then the NFL feels like he’s beat up and not a whole lot of tread left on the tires. Our guys understand, they’re really good complimentary pieces. It’s going to be really good for their longevity and their careers and things like that.”