Penn State’s quarterback announces his intention to enter the transfer portal

Penn State is expected to lose one of its most impactful players from the 2024 squad.

Backup quarterback Beau Pribula, a redshirt sophomore, plans to enter the transfer portal, he announced on social media. At the time of the news, Pribula will not be on the team for Penn State’s College Football Playoff, which begins Saturday against SMU.

Pribula emerged as a key role for Penn State this season, allowing offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki to use him as a gadget player beyond his backup quarterback duties. At times he ran routes as a wide receiver, but was often a threat running, passing or throwing in short-yardage situations.

Pribula also filled in for injured starter Drew Allar against Wisconsin earlier this season and led a second-half comeback against the Badgers to win 28-13 in his longest appearance of the season.

This year, Pribula was 26-for-35 passing for 275 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. On the ground, he threw 38 balls for 242 yards and four scores.

Pribula played in 11 games last season as Penn State tried to iron out its role under Mike Yurcich.

Pribula is from York, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Central York High School. He was a three-star prospect coming out of high school and the 29th best quarterback in the country.

While it’s far from confirmed, Pribula’s plans to enter the portal seem to indicate that Allar could return to Happy Valley as the Lions’ starter in 2025.

For the postseason, Penn State will likely have to rely on true freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer as a backup, who has yet to play a snap this season. Second-year quarterback Jaxon Smolik has been dealing with an injury since the spring and has not yet been publicly cleared to play despite increasing practice participation. Walk-on Jack Lambert is the only other quarterback on the roster.

In a statement, Pribula explained that it was always his dream to play at Penn State, but the timing of the NCAA transfer portal forced him to enter now. He had until Dec. 28 to join a new program for the spring practice window and learn a new playbook.

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