Penn State football’s NIL endeavors took another step on Wednesday with the release of a new children’s book. And its subject is one Nittany Lions fans are especially excited about. Announced via Tweet, Penn State true freshman quarterback Drew Allar has shared his story in the form of an illustrated children’s book called “The Men In Back”.
Partnering with author Andy Vodopia, Allar and his family helped to tell the in-progress story of his rise to becoming a Nittany Lion, as well as his insights into the person he is away from the field, all in the form of a 34-page hardcover book. Vodopia’s second children’s book, previously partnering with three Michigan offensive linemen for a NIL project last spring, provides fans young and old an opportunity to better learn about Penn State’s young quarterback.
“It will cover things about you that people wouldn’t necessarily know, but always done in kind of a cute fashion,” Vodopia said. “I’ll routinely get asked, what’s the age group? We call it a children’s book, but the reality is, I’m finding adults like it, too. And it’s not so much for the reading of the material. It’s that it’s kind of unique, and if you’re a fan, let’s face it, what can you get that will last forever for $20?”
With the pre-sale of the book now launched, two options are now available for order. The $20 option is the book itself, with a $50 option available to the first 100 buyers that will come autographed by Allar.
Anticipating a roughly 50/50 split with Allar from the book’s proceeds, Vodopia is expecting the partnership to be a profitable one in this NIL endeavor. The announcement of the book sale comes as Penn State continues to seek an expanding footprint in the NIL space.
Drew Allar’s early impact
Within his first five weeks of college football, Allar has quickly earned early opportunities for game action. Beginning with six reps in relief of a cramping Sean Clifford at Purdue in the opener, Allar followed with snaps against Ohio, in mop-up duty in Penn State’s blowout win at Auburn, and in the fourth quarter against Central Michigan.
Last week in the Nittany Lions’ resumption of Big Ten play, Allar didn’t appear for the first time this season in a 17-7 win over Northwestern at Beaver Stadium. Still, when asked about the value Allar has gained to this point in the season, and that of the bye week the program is currently enjoying ahead of its date at No. 4 Michigan on Oct. 15, Franklin expressed optimism over his young quarterback’s progress and the opportunity now at hand.
“Let’s go back through the first five games and break it down and take some time doing that. Not only (Drew Allar’s) play when he got into the game, but also Sean’s play,” Franklin said. “What can you learn from Sean, what would he do differently? Go back and really do a whole self-scout study and reinforce the things again where, typically week to week, you don’t have time to do that. You made the corrections, you’re on to the next opponent. So that was Sean’s recommendation for him, and really, the whole team.”
To date, Allar has completed 12 of 19 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception in his four games played.
