Livescore
Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula announced Sunday that he plans to enter the transfer portal just six days before the Nittany Lions start their College Football Playoff run by hosting a first-round game against SMU. Even without considering the timing, Pribula is a major loss for Penn State.
“I want to thank the coaches, my teammates, the fanbase, and everyone else who has supported me along this journey,” Pribula wrote in his transfer announcement. “For the rest of my life, I stand proud as a Penn State graduate and letterman.”
He was arguably the most important backup quarterback left in the College Football Playoff field. Pribula spent the season behind Nittany Lions starter Drew Allar — who announced on Monday his intention to return for the 2025 season — and got the opportunity to play extended minutes when Allar left a game against Wisconsin with an injury late in the first half.
Pribula flashed his potential as a full-time option with 11 completions of 13 attempts for 98 yards and one touchdown. Beyond his role as a key No. 2, though, Pribula often factored heavily into Penn State’s game plan as a change-of-pace quarterback.
Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki tried to optimize Pribula’s athleticism by mixing in packages where he’d enter the game for a read option or an RPO look. Pribula ended the year with 242 yards rushing and four touchdowns and has over 500 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground in his career.
The Nittany Lions liked to move Pribula all over the field and even designed a few plays where both Allar and Pribula would line up. Pribula took snaps at running back, slot wide receiver and outside wide receiver throughout the 2024 season.
Condensed calendar causing chaos
Pribula’s decision underscores an emerging concern with the college football calendar. The Nittany Lions now have less than a week to prepare without their backup quarterback for one of the biggest games in program history.
But, as Pribula outlined in his announcement, he didn’t have much of a choice if he wants to find a future home and earn the opportunity to play on a more consistent basis.
“The current NCAA post-season model creates a challenge for student-athletes,” Pribula wrote. “The overlapping CFB playoff and transfer portal timeline has forced me into an impossible decision. After speaking at length with my family and coaches, it is with a heavy heart that I announced my intentions to enter the transfer portal and depart from the team to explore opportunities elsewhere.”
Pribula and Penn State are not the only ones feeling pressure. Tennessee, which plays its first-round game on the road against Ohio State, has already lost four scholarship wide receivers and a key reserve linebacker to the transfer portal. Buckeyes quarterback Devin Brown already announced that he will enter the transfer portal, though he plans on remaining with Ohio State through its playoff run.
At issue is the fact that the winter transfer window opens on Dec. 9, which was one day after the College Football Playoff Selection Committee released their final rankings this year. It doesn’t close until Dec. 28, three days before the playoff’s quarterfinal round begins.
It’s more beneficial for a prospect to enter during the winter transfer period since schools tend to be more active when looking for additions. It also allows a player to find a new team before spring practice where they can get comfortable in a new system and establish a crucial role on the team, begins.
There are less guaranteed spots in April when the spring window opens. So, as Pribula outlined above, athletes are forced into a tough decision where they could either stay with their team through the playoff, even if they won’t see the field much, or enter the portal in a time where options are bountiful — especially for a highly regarded backup quarterback at a prolific Big Ten institution.
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