Even before Penn State began training camp, quarterback Beau Pribula had earned a spot in Andy Kotelnicki’s offense. The coordinator called Pribula one of Penn State’s best football players, calling him a difference-maker and “another great weapon,” and more than hinted that Pribula would be more than just a backup for the team.
As training camp has progressed, Pribula has clearly grown into the role. The Nittany Lions head into their opening game at West Virginia on Aug. 31 not with a two-quarterback system, but with two quarterbacks who can impact the offense. Pribula said this has been his best overall training camp at Penn State as his role becomes more important.
“I would say this is my best year,” Pribula said. “I feel more comfortable than I’ve ever felt. I feel really good in this offense and I feel like I’m in a really good position.”
Pribula, a third-year quarterback who came along with starter Drew Allar in the 2022 recruiting class, served as a backup last season, though his role grew as the year went on. Pribula ran for a career-high 71 yards against Rutgers while interim coordinators Ty Howle and Ja’Juan Seider expanded his role, and scored rushing and passing touchdowns against Michigan State.
In the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss, Pribula threw the ball down the field on a play-action pass to Nicholas Singleton, who turned it into a 48-yard touchdown. It was an explosive moment that the Nittany Lions had been chasing all season, and while it didn’t change the outcome of the game, it hinted at how Pribula could help provide big plays in Penn State’s offense.
“What a great weapon,” Kotelnicki said of Pribula. “… When you have a guy like that, we’re going to do whatever we need to do to put our best players on the field and put pressure on the defense so we can score touchdowns and win football games.”
That’s exactly what Pribula loves about Kotelnicki’s offense and his role in it. Pribula said this was his most efficient and effective training camp at Penn State in terms of most metrics: passing accuracy, explosive plays, touchdown/turnover ratio and completion percentage. He said Kotelnicki contributed a lot to that.
“I look at the field, stay calm in the pocket, take the space I need in the pocket and then extend plays when the opportunity presents itself,” Pribula said. “…It’s been easier to get those numbers and be more efficient when you have a great offensive coordinator who makes the game seem slower on the field.”
Kotelnicki has repeatedly said that he bases his offense on getting the ball to his best players. When asked if Pribula is one of them, Kotelnicki recently said, “Beau is one of our best players.”
“One of the things that brings me joy is seeing people in college genuinely happy for each other’s success. And I think that’s true in all of our (position) rooms,” Kotelnicki said. “But (Pribula) works. He has the respect of his teammates. … Beau wants to improve and get better.”
Pribula said Kotelnicki’s offense suits him in many ways. It allows Pribula to utilize his speed, athleticism and “elite” (Kotelnicki’s word) change-of-direction skills in packages designed specifically for them. As Kotelnicki said, “What do you do when you have an elite athlete? You let him do athletic things.”
Pribula said understanding his role has given him more confidence in throwing.
“Just being more comfortable in the pocket and staying there until the last second when the defense takes the ball away has really opened up a lot of opportunities for me,” Pribula said. “It really allows me to take full advantage of all my progressions and then take it all in and run when the opportunity presents itself.”
Pribula said that the quarterbacks in the new offense also have more confidence in their receivers. Like his head coach, Pribula pointed to receivers Trey Wallace and Liam Wallace, his roommates, as Take responsibility for training camps. This has improved their relationships on the field, something a former Penn State quarterback discussed with the team before training camp.
Penn State’s quarterbacks met in State College this summer to practice and talk about their game, with Trace McSorley serving as elder. The former Nittany Lions starter, who recently signed with the Washington Commanders, encouraged Allar, Pribula and Ethan Grunkemeyer to make an extra effort to be well-connected quarterbacks.
“That’s huge,” Pribula said. “The relationship between quarterback and wide receiver is important. Trace talked about it. When you’re man-marking, you have to be able to rely on your opponent to win and create distance. With Trey and Liam leading the way, we can be really confident about that. You can give them a chance on a 50-50 ball to make a play and win the ball.”
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Penn State on SI is the go-to source for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Editor Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, following three coaching teams, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.
