Grading quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer's performance in first-ever collegiate start

Penn State football backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer recorded his first collegiate start on Saturday against Iowa after starter Drew Allar broke his ankle in Week 7.

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The Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) lost 25-24 to the Hawkeyes. However, Grunkemeyer and the rest of his team showed heart, passion, and determination.

Grunkemeyer had less than a week to prepare to take on Iowa at Kinnick Stadium, a difficult environment to play in. On top of that, he had to prepare while Penn State entered a huge crisis mode as former head coach James Franklin was fired on Sunday, Oct. 12. With all the external factors working against his favor, Grunkemeyer handled the situation with poise and confidence.

Unfortunately, his stats couldn't back that up. Grunkemeyer completed 15 of 28 passes for 93 yards on Saturday. He threw two interceptions and had a 54 percent completion average on the night. On the ground, he rushed six times for a one-yard net total. His longest scramble of the game was good for nine yards.

When asked if he was excited or nervous for the game, Grunkemeyer reportedly smiled and said he was trying to be more excited. Any of those nerves, though, never took control. Even against the blitz or when faced with making very quick decisions, Grunkemeyer maintained composure and kept his mental focus in the game.

He didn't allow moments of second guessing himself or inexperience to carry over into the next play. While Allar's mistakes stuck out like sore thumbs and stacked on top of one another, Grunkemeyer took any mishaps and did his best to make adjustments. Interceptions didn't cloud his vision or derail his confidence.

"I thought [Grunkemeyer] managed the line of scrimmage and the calls at the line of scrimmage," interim head coach Terry Smith said in his postgame press conference. "He handled the crowd, the crowd was electric. we didn't have any miscues with communication at the line of scrimmage, so he did a terrific job with that."

Grunkemeyer left the past in the past and showed glimpses of promise in the pass game, even though it was overall a weak spot on offense for Penn State.

Grunkemeyer reacted timely to the blitz and showed capability of making quick decisions. He calculated the moves to gain the most yards possible, whether it meant he scrambled or found an open receiver. In the pocket, he looked comfortable and trusted his offensive line. When necessary, he quickly escaped the pocket and didn't look frantic.

"I'm super excited. He used his legs on some critical third downs and second down runs to move the sticks," Smith said. "It's really, really positive in the direction we're going . . . to build this thing around."

Smith said before the game, according to Peacock, that he wanted the backup quarterback to make the easy, smart decisions. The obvious choice to make whenever possible was giving the ball to running back Kaytron Allen, which he did plenty of on Saturday.

While Allen was the most reliable playmaker for Grunkemeyer, he didn't shy away from diversifying the offense. He trusted himself and trusted his teammates around him. In the pass game, he tried to get eight different players involved: wide receivers Trebor Pena, Devonte Ross, and Koby Howard, tight ends Luke Reynolds, Khalil Dinkins, and Andrew Rappleyea, and running backs Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Howard recorded his first catch of the season, gaining 14 yards on his reception.

Grunkemeyer's performance wasn't anything to rave about, but it's promising when looking ahead for the growth to come throughout his time at Penn State. With more reps and experience, he'll have more opportunities to be a difference maker in the game. His expectations weren't high going into Saturday. All he needed to do was handle the circumstances, allow growing pains to come and go, and make more smart decisions than poor ones. Grunkemeyer did just that.