Drew Allar is Penn State’s starting quarterback. He is the unquestioned leader of Andy Kotelnicki’s offense, a potential early-round draft pick in 2026 who threw for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns in 16 games a year ago.
Allar’s backup? The answer to that question is a bit unclear when it comes to the Nittany Lions’ No. 2 spot. Talented dual-threat Beau Pribula, Allar’s backup in 2023 and most of 2024, is now at Missouri.
Kotelnicki and James Franklin have a couple of options to consider.
One of them looks like he will be tough to beat out.
PennLive’s spring questions continue with a look at the team’s quarterbacks.
How long will Penn State’s backup quarterback competition continue?
Allar is No. 1. Pribula now plays in the SEC.
Jaxon Smolik is in his third season.
Ethan Grunkemeyer is a redshirt freshman.
And the Lions’ 2025 recruiting class includes three-star prospect Bekkem Kritza from Florida.
It’s not Kritza’s time yet.
We’re down to Grunkemeyer, a four-star prospect with a big arm, and Smolik, a three-star talent who missed 2024 with a long-term injury.
Grunkemeyer should have the edge after Franklin gave the young quarterback live in-season scrimmage on Sundays last fall.
“Some days are total live, the quarterback included,” Franklin said last November.
“More days than not, it’s live except for the quarterback. But (Grunkemeyer’s) getting a ton of those reps that Beau (Pribula) never gets. So, it’s a fine line.”
Grunkemeyer, who appeared in just one game in 2024, said he has grown just learning from Allar.
“(Coach Franklin) told me, ‘Hey, this is a guy who does it right on the preparation aspect. Pick his brain. See what he does.’ “Grunkemeyer said last month.
“And that’s what I’ve tried to do. Watching film, I understand that more. The plays that we install during the week, the game plan plays are like second nature now. He’s helped me with learning how to make that process easier and put more time and effort into that.”
And there’s this: At least one promising young Penn State skill player is impressed with Grunkemeyer’s right arm.
“I love the way ‘Grunk’ spins the ball,” PSU redshirt freshman wideout Tyseer Denmark said recently.
“It’s amazing. It’s beautiful. … I got here in the summertime, and the first time he threw me a ball I was like, ‘Woah, he’s serious.’”
