How do you get to know you played for a good program? When your squad backs you up, even when you’re the one leaving them at a crucial time. That’s what happened with former Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Beau Pribula. He had to pull the brakes on James Franklin’s program just before their College Football Playoff game vs. SMU. Was Franklin upset? Definitely. But he did not turn the situation into anything bitter.

After all, Franklin knew how things had been tough on Pribula’s end. “In my opinion, he’s a man’s man. Like, came into my office, had multiple conversations with me about this process. We talked last week, had no intentions of leaving, but we’ve got problems in college football,” said the Penn State head coach. The 6-2, 207-pound Pribula found his new home in Missouri, but still can’t stop talking about the love and respect he carries for his former team. 

On the July 10 episode of the Next Up with Adam Breneman podcast, Pribula took his fans through what exactly happened during the last few days of his Penn State stay. And guess what? He only had good words to share about the Nittany Lions. “I think really I became best friends with guys that will be there in my wedding, years down the road, because it was really just that the off the- field culture, just building the culture and becoming a leader even though I was the backup.” The support and trust for Pribula came after the quarterback proved himself with his arm skills. When Drew Allar fell prey to an injury during the Wisconsin game, he took over with Penn State down 10-7. 

He completed 11 of 13 throws — a handful of them pinpoint strikes while on the run — for 98 yards and a touchdown. However, Pribula’s Penn State stint was short-lived. He decided to hit the transfer portal after knowing Allar would be returning to the Nittany Lions for a final season. Pribula was quite skeptical about the reaction he would receive from his teammates. But he was immensely surprised at the end. The Mizzou quarterback recalled one such heartwarming incident. “I’ll never forget like there were guys left over in the locker room getting, you know, recovery and whatever showers, and I remember it was it was like Zane Durant, Jaylen Reed, Dennis Sutton.” 

Pribula continued, “I told, I went up to them and I was like, ‘Guys, I’m transferring and I have to leave right now. I appreciate you guys for everything. Just want to say goodbye and everything.’ And I was like kind of nervous. I was like, I don’t know if they’re going to like this guy. Like he’s leaving us right before the playoffs. But I’ll never forget that they weren’t just supportive of me, they were so excited for me and my future. I was in the shower with Dani and we were taking a shower and he was like, ‘Man, like I am so excited for you.’” That’s how his three-year journey at Penn State returned him with all the love that was going to reside forever in his heart.

Now wasn’t this warmth and respect expected from a team headed by someone like Franklin? While players mostly have bitter endings during the transferring span, Pribula and Franklin sat and had conversations like real adults. The Penn State head coach was willing to go to great lengths to keep Pribula locked in. 

Beau Pribula’s plan couldn’t take off even after James Franklin’s sincere vouch

Franklin knew that Pribula faced a double-edged sword. So, he stood in his quarterback’s defense. The head coach said that “we got problems in college football” and that Pribula “should not be put in this position.” The timing of the open transfer portal, which overlaps with CFP preparation and game results, often creates pressure on players to make their transfer decisions in a hurry. The College Football Playoff was scheduled for December 21, while the winter transfer portal opened its gates on December 9 and closed on December 28.

So, Pribula shared his interest in staying hooked to Penn State till the playoffs. But that again was not permitted. However, Franklin did his best to stand beside his quarterback as a rock of support. Pribula recalled, “The first few meetings we had, it was fine. Coach Franklin was so supportive. He was like, ‘Listen, I can reach out to these coaches for you. Like any school that you’re interested in, I’ll reach out to them and I’ll tell them that like he’s a great fit for you. Like he’s thinking about transferring, but we just he wants to finish the playoffs first, so he’s not going to officially enter the transfer portal.’” Now, who does that? 

The quarterback continued. “So that’s what we were going to do. And because I couldn’t be in the transfer portal and be on the team at the same time, I understood that was a team rule. It would have been too much of a distraction. So I couldn’t do that.” And then came a $1.5 million NIL offer from Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri. But Pribula claims that he did not choose the Tigers for money. Instead, their quarterback, Brady Cook’s playing style struck a familiarity with him. Plus, he was mesmerized by the Tigers’ Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State in 2023.

Now, Pribula is headed for new fields, but the support from Franklin and his Nittany Lion family still fuels his journey.