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Penn State Football: The key player no one is talking about

By Alec Whitaker

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Beau Pribula #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions warms up before the game against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium on September 10, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 10: Beau Pribula #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions warms up before the game against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium on September 10, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Penn State Football will have a new-look quarterback room in 2023.

For the first time since 2016, quarterback Sean Clifford will not be on the roster for Penn State Football.

The new look Nittany Lions will have only three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, and none will be older than a sophomore. This is a talented room, but a young one.

It’s assumed that Drew Allar will take over the starting role in 2023. The former 5-star recruit flashed signs of greatness in 2022 but the sample size is small.

While Penn State will rely on Allar to get the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff for the first time ever, the man behind him is just as important.

Allar’s backup is expected to be fellow second year player Beau Pribula. The former Central York High School standout did not enter college with the same hype as the highly regarded Allar did, but he is just as important to this team as Allar is.

As we saw in 2021, having a viable backup quarterback is just as important as having a good starter. With how loaded Penn State’s 2023 roster is, it would be a shame to see the season go down the drain just because of an injury to the quarterback.

Pribula has started to make a name for himself thanks to the work he’s putting in during winter workouts. Out of the six times that offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Mike Yurcich has tweeted out a competitor of the day for the quarterbacks, Pribula has been honored five times.

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who was familiar with Pribula’s recruitment. He received high grades for his athleticism and work ethic. Back in 2021, Pribula led his high school to its first ever state championship game. While they would fall short in the game, Pribula showed his ability to carry a team.

The former 3-star recruit may not have the size that NFL scouts like or the arm talent of Allar, but he has all the talent to be a winner for Penn State football. His story is awfully similar to another quarterback who wore No. 9 for the Nittany Lions, Trace McSorley.

He may not win the starting job this year, but Pribula will be a key piece for this team this upcoming season and the ones that follow as well.

It’s time Penn State football fans start talking about Beau Pribula because you never know when his number is going to be called upon when it matters most.

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