Quarterback Beau Pribula Showcases His Value to Penn State's Offense

"Beau is going to be a big part of what we're doing," Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said of his quarterback.

Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula talks with reporters during football media day in Holuba Hall. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula motioned to his right, faked the handoff, looked up and fired a strike to Tyler Warren, who already had a wide-open path to the end zone. On Saturday, it was the versatile Nittany Lion who sealed the deal in a 34-12 win over West Virginia. His only pass was that 19-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, a play that Pribula said the team was well-prepared to run thanks to the scout team. 

But moving forward, Pribula expects to get more involved in the creativity of coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s new-look Penn State offense. 

Double trouble in the QB room

Penn State’s flexibility with Drew Allar and Pribula has allowed it to deploy two-quarterback sets, with either serving as a passer, runner or receiver. Especially with Allar showing improvement throwing the deep ball and ability to use his legs, it’s tough to predict how the Nittany Lions will use their quarterbacks. That’s a credit to Kotelnicki, who Pribula knew had experience working with multiple quarterbacks before arriving in State College. 

“I'm not sure what he has up his sleeve moving forward in the season, but I know he's experienced with doing a lot of different stuff,” Pribula said. "When Coach K first got here, we never really had a conversation about [using multiple quarterbacks]. I think it was just kind of known that it was something he did.”

The combined talents of Allar and Pribula provide nearly everything Penn State could want in a quarterback: Mobility, speed and athleticism on the ground combined with accuracy, IQ and a big arm throwing the ball. Penn State coach James Franklin unfortunately can’t blend the two, so his next-best option has been to leverage their strengths.

“Although Drew obviously is showing he can make plays with his feet, Beau has that ability maybe at a little bit different level and [is] a little bit more of a playmaker,” Franklin said. “We have a ton of different ways we're going to be able to do that with both of them on the field or just Beau on the field.”

Pribula faces another wrinkle, thanks to a new NCAA rule. In those two-quarterback sets, Pribula has to wear a helmet without a communications device. Only one quarterback can wear the helmet with the device. When they’re on the field together, that’s Allar. However, when he’s the only quarterback, Pribula switches helmets to get one with an earpiece.  

“Changing helmets is something we actually practiced,” Pribula said. “That’s actually something that people might take for granted, but it’s a big deal.”

Prepared for the moment

Pribula may be QB2 but prepares as the starter. Seeing more game action, especially in key moments like the first quarter vs. West Virginia, allows Pribula to stay ready. He entered the game on Penn State’s third offensive play, running an option with Nicholas Singleton, and got called to attempt a 2-point conversion after the Nittany Lions’ first touchdown. Pribula played 20 offensive snaps at West Virginia, according to Pro Football Focus.

“It does make it a lot easier … staying warm and being a part of that rhythm,” Pribula said. “That helped a lot, kind of running on and off the field and not having to try to stay loose and warm all game, waiting for my time.”

Heading into 2024, Pribula said he was “feeling the most comfortable” he has in Penn State’s offense. He put in work over the offseason, especially passing, aiming to become a true multi-threat quarterback so defenses can’t be prepared for what he’s about to do.

“I think it was big to show that I'm not just in there running the football, but also a threat to throw as well,” Pribula said. “Especially in a moment like that too, just to put [West Virginia] away, I think that was big.”  

All-around impact

Before this season, Kotelnicki called Pribula “one of our best players.” That belief was evident in Week 1 and should only grow. On Saturday, Franklin reiterated Pribula’s role heading into the home opener vs. Bowling Green. 

“Beau is going to be a big part of what we’re doing going forward, so we wanted to get him involved as early as possible,” Franklin said. 

He could be throwing, running with or catching the ball. But Pribula is prepared for any of it. He said he didn’t exactly expect to be used as a swiss army knife coming in as a recruit, but he knew Penn State always admired his athleticism.

"I think the next step is really just continuing to develop and really just being able to do everything that [I’m asked] to do, whether that's lining up at running back, receiver, quarterback,” Pribula said.

On his touchdown pass to Warren, his first of the season and fifth of his Penn State career, Pribula continued to feel the game slow down under Kotelnicki. 

“Everything that Coach K does, as you guys saw this past Saturday, makes really everything stressful for the defense,” Pribula said. “It's us attacking the defense and making them react to us.”

Penn State will play its home opener vs. Bowling Green on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon ET on Big Ten Network.

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Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an Editorial Intern with The Sporting News. As a student journalist with The Daily Collegian, he served as a sports editor and covered Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with additional work in the Centre Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_    or Instagram @dmadersports.