Penn State QBs working well under 1st-year position coach Danny O'Brien

Danny O’Brien’s title at Penn State may have changed this season, but how he goes about his business and his relationship with players has not.

O’Brien, 34, was promoted to quarterbacks coach in the offseason after spending last year as an offensive graduate assistant and two seasons prior to that as an analyst.

He now enters Year 3 working with Penn State’s two primary quarterbacks, junior Drew Allar and redshirt sophomore Beau Pribula.

“Ever since I got here, Danny’s been super consistent,” Pribula told reporters in State College on Tuesday. “If there’s one thing that’s super consistent about him is he loves football. He just loves the game of football, he’s always breaking down film, whether that’s NFL film or other college film. He’s just a football junkie, and I think that really just translates to him as a coach.

“He loves the game, he loves the sport and he loves the quarterback position. He’s just a really good coach. I’m happy to have Danny as my quarterback coach, for sure.”

The fourth-ranked Nittany Lions’ quarterbacks room appears to be in good hands with O’Brien, who played parts of six seasons from 2014-19 in the Canadian Football League.

Collegiately, O’Brien played two seasons at Maryland and one at Wisconsin before wrapping his eligibility at Catawba College in North Carolina.

Under O’Brien’s guidance, Allar has taken steps as a second-year starter.

While Penn State’s passing offense (248.4 yards per game) hasn’t been overwhelming, Allar is completing 70.3% of his passes heading into Saturday’s road game at Purdue, up from 59.9% last year.

Pribula also has looked sharper.

When Allar went down with an injury against Wisconsin, Pribula stepped into the starter’s shoes and completed 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Pribula owns a 79.2% completion rate this season.

“I think just everything’s Danny’s learned, he’s gone through a lot,” Pribula said. “He’s played at all levels, so he gets everything he’s experienced. He really just translates it to us, and I think that’s important. All of his experiences are very valuable, just to kind of see how he played, went through his process and how he looks at the game of football; it helps me a lot as well.”

So far, O’Brien has been pleased with Allar’s on-field work.

But equally as important is what O’Brien has noticed from a comfortability and leadership standpoint.

“Our mantra in our room is being the thermostat of the team, getting guys going when we need it and staying calm in times of adversity, and I think through the first three quarters of the season, he’s done a really good job of that,” O’Brien said.

“As much as all the physical things you see on the field, you just feel his presence out there, week in and week out. It’s been fun to watch his evolution there.”

Coach James Franklin’s relationship with O’Brien dates back nearly two decades, when O’Brien was recruited to Maryland, where Franklin was offensive coordinator.

After honing his craft for several years in a support role, Franklin is now trusting O’Brien to oversee the development of the most important position on his team.

Along with the job of first-year coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, Franklin expressed confidence in the progression of Penn State’s quarterbacks, especially Allar.

“I think Drew looks consistently comfortable and in control in the games,” Franklin said. “I think probably the biggest thing for him, that I’ve noticed, is his mobility. I think it’s been a huge factor for him and for our offense, especially vertical scrambles up in the pocket. Stepping up and climbing the pocket has been big. And then I think, obviously, the development of the positions around him, too, have played a major role in that.

“I think Danny, Andy, the quarterbacks, the other positions, have played a part in it. But I’ve been very pleased with their development and the direction we’re headed.”