Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is "uninstalling" everything quarterback Drew Allar learned at Penn State, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN .
"They're essentially uninstalling everything he has learned, and they're re-uploading their own methods, fundamentals, and mechanics with Allar," Brooke Pryor said Wednesday on SportsCenter . "I watched Mike McCarthy and QB coach Tom Arth be very intentional with Allar, who was running at about half speed, working on his footwork throughout that practice."
Allar has experience in a vertically-based passing attack. Some knocks on Allar include: lack of rhythm and vision, poor decision maker and comes up short in big moments.
McCarthy , who has a long track record of developing quarterbacks, is working with Allar on the fundamentals.
During the second day of rookie minicamp, Allar rehearsed drills, double-checking with tutors McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth before working through them and soaked in their reviews afterward.
As he hammers down the basics, McCarthy is urging Allar not to worry about where a pass ends up. The passer isn't used to getting out from under center, and his approach requires some tweaks. McCarthy wants to see him have a wider base and plant his feet in the ground.
"I felt a lot more comfortable today than I did yesterday with it, and I think it's just gonna take reps overall," Allar said. "It's just really fundamental things that I just have to be aware of now and be conscious of. … Obviously, I wanna be as accurate as I can in the drill work, but really just focusing on the footwork and getting that mental repetition down so I can feel that and then carry that over into team and competing and such."
"Everybody teaches footwork a little differently," McCarthy said. "Everybody has a system of offense and how you tie your quarterback — particularly in the pass game — to that. So there's a lot of work there. We were able to adjust some fundamentals that we think will help him."
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie QB Drew Allar during rookie minicamp on May 9, 2026. Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Allar's senior season at Penn State was cut short due to a broken left ankle, but in six games he threw for 1,100 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. In his junior season, he threw for 3327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His combination of physical tools and experience in a pro-style system makes him an intriguing prospect for McCarthy to work with.
McCarthy was blown away by his first encounter with Allar.
"I think, like anything, I believe in first impressions," McCarthy said during a post-draft press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "I've had a chance to watch him play, but meet him at the combine. … I liked everything about him. I think he's young, I think he's got a lot of room for growth, and he's a young man that can throw the ball with the best of them. And that's a great starting point to have."
Penn State assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith revealed an interesting peace of information on Allar during an interview on 93.7 The Fan. Smith, who was the interim Penn State's head coach last season, admitted that the Nittany Lions' system was not built for Allar.
"Yeah, you know, I've been known as the truth-teller here at Penn State. 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 told Bob Pompeani and Joe Starkey of 93.7 The Fan.
McCarthy, who is considered a QB guru, is now trying to mold Allar and get him on the right track in his development.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Mike McCarthy 'Uninstalling' Everything Drew Allar Learned at Penn State
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