Penn State Revels in Andy Kotelnicki's 'Super Creative' Offense at West Virginia

"It's fun to be in a system like that, for sure," quarterback Drew Allar said after the Nittany Lions' 34-12 victory.

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton runs the ball for a touchdown during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers. / Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

MORGANTOWN, W.V. | Andy Kotelnicki, Penn State's new offensive hero, stood outside the tunnel to the Nittany Lions' locker room Saturday, calmly chatting as if he didn't just ask a 348-pound offensive guard to go in motion more than once. Penn State fans cheering in the end zone's corner didn't realize this T-shirt wearing guy had just changed the conversation around Penn State's offense, even if only for a game.

But the Nittany Lions wanted people to know. They had just scored 34 points, recording nearly 20 percent of their plays as explosive, in a season-opening 34-12 victory at West Virginia. They had been marveling at Kotelnicki's unique approach since January, and now they wanted to celebrate it.

As quarterback Drew Allar said of Kotelnicki lining a guard, Vega Ioane, off the line of scrimmage and motioning him across it, "We were super-excited about that play. ... We're going to get super creative throughout the year."

"This," Penn State receiver Harrison Wallace III added, "was the coming-out party."

It was, in several ways. Penn State, whose offense generated just two pass plays of 50+ yards through the first 11 games of last season, had two against the Mountaineers. Nicholas Singleton, whose longest run of the 2023 season was 24 yards, delivered a pair of 40-yard carries. Penn State counted 18.3 percent of its plays as explosive (12+ run, 15+ pass), surpassing its stated goal of 15 percent. And everyone looked like they had fun doing it.

"It felt great," Singleton said of his 40-yard touchdown run. "I loved it. I missed it."

Allar called formations that included two running backs, three tight ends and two quarterbacks, splitting himself out on occasion. Singleton took a Wildcat snap. Beau Pribula went from backup quarterback to complementary quarterback, taking a host of snaps in critical situations.

Franklin even referenced the running joke of 2023 in discussing Allar's 50-yard completion to Omari Evans late in the second quarter, on which the receiver recalibrated to catch an underthrown pass.

"That one play, and this may be too soon, but that one play looked like we just chucked it deep down the middle of the field," Franklin said to laughs. "Too soon, too soon.'

"That's a miss right there."

Joel Klatt thinks Penn State got away with one here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/MeJ4p0NUHe

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2024

Franklin could joke because Penn State's offense looked like fun Saturday. Not that it didn't last year when hosting West Virginia. Allar threw for a career-high 325 yards and three touchdowns in the Nittany Lions' 38-15 win, heralding a promise that ultimately stalled. Penn State was better known for averaging 13.5 points against Ohio State in Michigan than for ranking 12th nationally in scoring.

Last year's offense, especially in those two games, became a joyless slog fixated on few players, the off-the-cliff reduction in explosive plays (Penn State ranked 97th nationally in plays of 20+ yards) and Franklin's constant defensiveness about the situation. But with Kotelnicki, on Saturday at least, the Nittany Lions reveled in change.

Kotelnicki's offense went big tent on its playmakers. It highlighted Allar's running ability, Kaytron Allen's receiving chops (he caught a 20-yard touchdown pass) and Wallace as WR1. Kotelnicki substituted players all game long, ran guys from unique sets and moved them across formations.

"More players are involved in Coach K's offense," Wallace said.

The receiver certainly is among them. He was unstoppable early, catching Allar's first four completions and finishing with a career-high 117 yards and two touchdowns. Wallace missed five games last season with injuries and has said he's ready to become Penn State's alpha receiver. He also was dazzled by Evans' 50-yard reception that set up his second touchdown just before halftime.

Further, Evans' play underscored the type of effort at receiver Penn State occasionally lacked last year.

"I thought Omari coming back and making a play on that was huge," Franklin said. "... I'm proud of Omari for fighting through the contact for the ball."

As for fighting through contact, meet the new Allar. The 6-4 quarterback is down 11 pounds since last season, checking in at a wiry 235 pounds. He made mobility a chief training point of his offseason, working with strength coach Chuck Losey to expand his cutting ability and lateral movement.

Allar demonstrated that work by running for three first downs, including two on the touchdown drive to open the third quarter. Allar converted those first downs with runs of 10+ yards, defiantly keeping drives alive. Though most college football fans wanted to see his big arm in action, Allar showed a stiff-arm. "That was crazy," Singleton said, and it placed defensive coordinators on notice.

After the game, Franklin and several teammates noted their quarterback's new nickname: "Lamar Allar," a reference to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

"If your quarterback can just get 2-3 first downs a game with his legs, it changes everything," Franklin said. "I thought that showed up today."

Allar, who completed six passes of 17 yards or longer, didn't want to sound satisfied. And he might have quoted his folksy offensive coordinator by saying, "The hay is never in the barn." The Nittany Lions aren't done, but they enjoyed Saturday.

"It's fun to be in a system like that, for sure," Allar said.

More Penn State Football

Penn State 34, West Virginia 12: Breakdown of a beatdown in Morgantown

The Penn State-West Virginia report card

Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.