Penn State Seeks 'Creative' Ways to Replace Beau Pribula on Offense

The Nittany Lions quarterback is in the transfer portal, but James Franklin wants to continue deploying the Pribula package.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Beau Pribula rushes with the football during the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal after facing what called an “impossible decision” due to the overlapping timeline of the College Football Playoff and the portal's December window.  Coach James Franklin confirmed Monday that Pribula will not participate in the Nittany Lions’ College Football Playoff run, which begins Saturday against SMU at Beaver Stadium, because it would have been hard for Pribula to prepare for playoff games while also negotiating and potentially visiting with other programs.

“I can give you my word, Beau Pribula did not want to leave our program, and he did not want to leave our program until the end of the season,” Franklin said. “But the way the portal is, and the timing of it and the way our team is playing — and when you play the position of quarterback and there's only one spot and those spots are filling up — he felt like he was put in a no-win situation, and I agree with him.” 

Though Pribula’s decision carries long-term ramifications, there’s also the immediate issue of how it affects Penn State’s offense for the playoff. The Nittany Lions have a short time to alter the package that Pribula ran alongside quarterback Drew Allar, who announced his decision to return to Penn State for next season.

Pribula primarily has been a changeup quarterback for the Nittany Lions, rushing for 242 yards and four touchdowns this season while passing for 275 yards and five scores. Penn State ran the Pribula package only a handful of times each game, but it was enough to force defenses to spend time preparing for that look. Franklin said the offense wants to continue with package, with different players potentially taking Pribula’s role during the postseason. 

“That was something that people had to plan for that we could use, that we could be creative in,” Franklin said. “And we're going to continue to do that with different pieces of the puzzle. So I think it's been too important to what we've been doing. We don't want to go away from that, whether it's [with] guys that have been playing already and put a little bit more on their plate with those specific roles, or whether it's guys that haven't played to this point.

“... And we think we have answers that we've got a ton of confidence in. But it's going to take a little bit more time and a little bit more creativity to get where we want to be. But we feel like the pieces are there. We've just got to use some different pieces than we've been using up to this point.” 

Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki leaned on a metaphor to describe Pribula’s usage and how Penn State will adjust to his absence.

“It's just a spoke in the wheel of what we're doing with that kind of package, and so it'll be replaced with another kind of spoke,” Kotelnicki said. “So I'm excited about what the guys that we have in the locker room and what they can do for us for sure, and it's going to be good.”

One option could be incorporating tight end Tyler Warren even more as a Wildcat quarterback. The Mackey Award winner has been tough to stop, especially in short-yardage situations, picking up 191 yards rushing and four touchdowns on an average of 8.3 yards per carry. Running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen have taken direct snaps this season as well.

The Nittany Lions also need a backup quarterback quickly. And while Warren was a high school quarterback, that role likely will fall to true freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer. Though he has not played yet this season, Grunkemeyer has been the team’s No. 3 quarterback while redshirt freshman Jaxon Smolik rehabbed from a preseason injury. Franklin said “both of them will be part of the equation and part of the discussion.” 

Franklin said Smolik has been cleared to play for about the last week, which will impact the decision despite Smolik having an extra year of experience. Grunkemeyer has taken more reps in practice this season due to Smolik’s injury. Kotelnicki said Grunkemeyer’s understanding of the offense has improved. 

“His growth, like many other people in his class, has been very steep throughout the course of the year,” Kotelnicki said. “So [we have] a ton of comfort with where he is developed as a football player.” 

Pribula and Allar spent three years together as members of the 2022 recruiting class, so Allar said that the position room is different without him. 

“Since we came in together, we've been here for three years together, and I wish Beau nothing but the best,” Allar said. “He's been a great teammate to not only me but the entire team as well. He’s one of the hardest workers on our team, and he's going to do really well wherever he ends up. And I'm hoping for the best for him, because he deserves it.”

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Sam Woloson has covered Penn State Athletics for the past three years and is currently the managing editor of The Daily Collegian. His work has also appeared in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Huntingdon Daily News and Rivals. Follow him on X @sam_woloson