James Franklin advocates for changes to the college football transfer portal as Penn State faces the loss of backup quarterback Beau Pribula.
“We have some significant issues in college football,” Franklin remarked on Monday. “Beau wanted to stay with our program until the season concluded, but the dynamics of the portal and the timing are challenging. When you’re a quarterback, there’s only one starting position, and as those spots fill, he felt trapped in a no-win scenario. I completely understand his perspective.”
Players must enter the transfer portal by December 28, with a freeze on transfers until April 16, 2025. This recent adjustment, which reduced the transfer window by 15 days following complaints from coaches, poses challenges, according to Franklin. Just last week, Marshall withdrew from a bowl game due to a mass exodus of players entering the portal.
Pribula aims to utilize his final two years of eligibility as a starting quarterback. With Drew Allar slated to return for his senior year, he recognizes that waiting another season in Happy Valley is not feasible.
[Related: Beau Pribula or Drew Allar: What each QB brings to Penn State’s offense]
Delaying a transfer until April would limit Pribula’s options and provide insufficient time to acclimate to a new team, as many programs will have already secured quarterbacks and will be well into spring practices before the portal closes on April 25.
The York, Pennsylvania native also harbored dreams of competing for an NCAA championship with the team he always aspired to lead. Instead, after contributing 517 yards of total offense and nine touchdowns this season, he will now search for a new program.
“Beau has dreamed of playing for Penn State his entire life,” Franklin stated. “This is his dream school, and he has had an outstanding career here. It’s important for everyone to recognize that we have created a system that prevents him from finishing the season with his team.”
Though Franklin has previously indicated that players entering the portal are no longer part of the team’s plans, he made an exception for Pribula.
However, during practice earlier this week, both Franklin and Pribula sensed that the quarterback’s focus was elsewhere. They mutually agreed that Pribula should step away to concentrate on his finals and explore options at other schools.
“Beau realized that juggling school, searching for a new school, and preparing as a starter was becoming overwhelming,” Franklin noted.
While not the starter, Pribula consistently performed well when called upon.
He played a crucial role in Penn State’s journey to the Big Ten title game, stepping in for an injured Allar and leading a comeback against Wisconsin. He completed 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 48 yards on six attempts, securing a 28-13 victory.
“Beau is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” said center Nick Dawkins. “It’s tough when players face choices that impact the team, and I sincerely wish him all the best.”
With Pribula’s departure, Penn State will likely turn to freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer as the backup for Allar. Grunkemeyer has traveled with the team but has not yet played in a game.
Another freshman, Jaxon Smolik, may also see action but was only recently cleared to practice after an unspecified injury sidelined him for the entire season.
“It’s a challenge to adapt our strategy without him,” offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki remarked. “We’ll have to adjust our approach accordingly.”
