The Penn State Nittany Lions lost their third straight game in a shocking 22-21 loss in Happy Valley.
While the future of head coach James Franklin is once again brought into question, Penn State’s tough loss to Northwestern got even worse with the injury to quarterback Drew Allar.
Late in the fourth quarter, Allar went down in pain and limped off the field. After the game, Franklin announced that Allar is out for the season with an injury, according to ESPN.
After the game, Allar’s teammates joined in with some emotional reactions to the injury, per Tyler Donohue of 247Sports.
“Ever since I’ve got here in January, transferring in from Texas A&M, he was one of the leaders that really stuck out,” redshirt sophomore guard TJ Shanahan Jr. said. “It just sucks, and my heart hurts for him.”
Reactions Pouring in From Penn State Teammates
GettyPenn State quarterback Drew Allar warming up ahead of a college football game.
Shanahan had been with the program for less than a year, but he didn’t hesitate to let his feelings be known about Allar.
The reactions continued to come in from Penn State players after a tough scene. Wide receiver Devonte Ross, who transferred from Troy before this season, shared his thoughts on Allar’s injury.
“I love Drew,” Ross said, via Jake Trotter of ESPN. “That’s unfortunate. It’s a tough situation just knowing him as a person and knowing how much football means to him, how much this team means to him. It’s tough, but I know it’s next man up.”
It’s the final chapter of Allar’s Penn State career, and having it end in this manner is a tough pill to swallow for everybody involved.
The Nittany Lions will now turn to redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, who has a total of 13 pass attempts during his time at Penn State.
Penn State Locker Room Believes in Ethan Grunkemeyer
While losing Allar to an injury is a brutal loss, especially for a team that has now lost three straight games, the locker room appears to have faith and confidence in Grunkemeyer.
Senior defensive lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton is one of those who believes in Grunkemeyer.
“Since Day 1, I’ve always been a fan of Grunk,” Dennis-Sutton said, via Daniel Gallen of 247Sports. “Tough guy, not scared of anything. He’s always getting ready. I always see him in the building preparing like he’s the starter. That right there has me have faith in him.”
Ross also expressed confidence in Grunkemeyer, who replaced Allar for the final offensive play for Penn State.
“Grunk is somebody who has confidence, so that instills confidence in us, and we got 100% belief in him,” Ross said, via Gallen.
Offensive lineman TJ Shanahan also said he will be there to help Grunkemeyer transition into the starting role.
I know [Ethan Grunkemeyer] is next up. So, you know, just being there for him too, as he kind of transitions into the role he’s going to transition into,” Shanahan said, via Greg Pickel of On3.
Penn State faces off against Iowa on the road in Week 8 in Grunkemeyer’s first start as plenty of questions are swirling around the program.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Penn State Players React to Drew Allar’s Season-Ending Injury: ‘My Heart Hurts For Him’ appeared first on Heavy Sports.