Penn State’s backup quarterback position was quickly opened up when Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal last December. Freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer stepped into the spotlight to fill that gap. However, this spring has introduced a slight shift in that dynamic. Redshirt sophomore Jaxon Smolik, who missed last season due to a serious injury, has returned with renewed energy and confidence. This development has added an extra layer of intensity to the ongoing quarterback competition, but in a positive manner. As head coach James Franklin put it, “Things are going phenomenally.” But is this situation sustainable? Can they effectively manage the quarterback position with these changes?

As far as it comes to Drew Allar, it’s all shiny and shimmery. The former 5-star recruit threw for over 3,300 yards and 24 touchdowns last season while completing 66.5% of his passes. His rocket arm and utter brilliance in the pocket already made him a future NFL standout over the internet. But the problem loomed large when it came to the second stringer. Pribula, last season, made a splash. But this limiting game experience was still a thing.

Over on the May 17 episode of the Penn State Football on Blue White Illustrated show, Thomas Carr, Nate Bauer, and Sean Fitz discussed the Nittany Lions’ QB room in 2025. Fitz believes that the QB room is better than in 2024. However, with a caveat that Drew Allar performs like a potential No. 1 pick. “He knows there’s a bunch of improvement that he has to make, and I think he’s doing that by not only doing the throwing stuff in the offseason with his guys. He’s got to develop a rapport, and he’s done a pretty good job.”

However, when it comes to the whole QB room, things are different this year. Especially considering the Lions won’t have Beau Pribula to lean on. “Beau provided something. He’s kind of a hot-button issue for a lot of Penn State fans. But he provided you something different. He provided a spark at times. He ended up winning the Wisconsin game.”

Pribula racked up a total of 424 passing yards and 9 touchdowns from his 2 seasons at Penn State. His mobility to run and score has been a major highlight in the season. But that doesn’t mean he was flawless. There has been a gap between potential and productivity. “So, you look at the backups. Grunk’s talented. Smolik is talented. How does that work out into guys that are ready to go in and win a football game? We don’t know because we haven’t seen them out there. So, I’m curious how this entire room shakes out. But I think it is better,” Witz said.

When Thomas gave the mic to analyst Nate Bauer, asking if the QB room was even worse than last year, he exposed a truth. “I don’t think it matters well. Because this has always been the case. Look, yes, Penn State needed Beau Pribula to win a game at Wisconsin if Drew gets hurt, yes. But as you saw, I think in that Oregon game, maybe, like they all kind of blend together for me at this point. But I think you saw Beau’s effectiveness, right? So he didn’t make it to the playoffs, but he did play in the championship game.”

Nate dug into a major Beau Pribula weakness that has gone unnoticed. “Beau’s effectiveness against really good defenses became problematic for Penn State.” So, it’s basically Drew Allar, who has the key to the offense and carries most of the load, unshakable. The overall inexperience in the QB room may mean that James Franklin is forced to rely on Drew Allar when he doesn’t have to.

There have been some stark doubts in the receiving corps as well. Penn State’s receivers were like a vanishing line of the river in the passing game against

Notre Dame and at several other games during the entire season. Nobody could get a reception in the Orange Bowl. “Zero receptions absolutely against Notre Dame, not acceptable. But on five targets, that’s not exactly a giant body of work now, they need to be better and get open obviously,” analyst Sean Fitz chimed in the discussion with a pinch of hope and despair. “But yeah, I think that this group has that ability we saw a little bit in the spring game.”

However, moving back to the QB2 saga, James Franklin has a unique plan for anyone who steps up behind Drew Allar.

James Franklin won’t let the shine of his QB2 fade 

Franklin has always been even when it comes to QB competition. He barely outdoes anyone over the other, triggering an intense air of growth and progress. The 12th-year head coach spoke highly of Grunkemeyer, the redshirt freshman quarterback, who has flexed his mobility and a lively arm during the spring. The coach also believes that “Jaxon has done a heck of a job,” returning from injury a little rusty.

In discussing the quarterbacks, Franklin also remained firm in his promise that he initially ignored. The head coach said that the quarterback who wins the backup role will get sufficient and meaningful reps on offense during the season. The coach deems the idea a key point in the offensive master plan.

“Whoever wins the backup quarterback job, we’re going to have to get them real reps, whether that be packages that we have set up for them or entire series,” Franklin said. But regardless of everything, it’s Drew Allar in his final year the world looks up to.