Penn State coach says timing of switch portal is ‘no-win scenario’

Penn State coach James Franklin defended backup quarterback Beau Pribula, who entered the switch portal Monday and can depart the crew earlier than the College Football Playoff, saying “we bought issues in faculty soccer” and that Pribula “shouldn’t be put on this place.”

Franklin stated the timing of the open switch portal, which overlaps with CFP preparation and video games and creates urgency for quarterbacks to make their switch selections, creates an untenable scenario.

“The overlapping CFB playoff & switch portal timeline has pressured me into an inconceivable resolution,” Pribula, a redshirt sophomore who had a transparent function in Penn State’s offense behind starter Drew Allar, wrote Sunday on social media.

His portal entry comes after Allar knowledgeable Penn State’s coaches that he would return for the 2025 season.

“We bought issues in faculty soccer, and I may give you my phrase Beau Pribula didn’t wish to depart our program, and he didn’t wish to depart our program till the tip of the season,” Franklin stated Monday. “But the way in which the portal is and the timing of it and the way in which our crew is enjoying, and while you play the place of quarterback and there is just one spot and people spots are filling up, he felt like he was put in a no-win scenario, and I agree with him.

“No. 1, I hate for it, most significantly for Beau Pribula. I do not assume it is in one of the best curiosity of the student-athlete, I do not assume it is in one of the best curiosity of school soccer.”

Franklin stated Pribula has “been an exceptional teammate, has been a giant motive why we’re the place we’re proper now,” and stated that he embraced the difficult function of backup quarterback.

Pribula had a number of conversations with Franklin earlier than finalizing his resolution and the timing.

Penn State, the No. 6 seed within the CFP, will host No. 11 seed SMU on Saturday in a CFP first-round recreation.

Pribula, a redshirt sophomore, is tied for second on the crew with six speeding touchdowns and was third in each carries (38) and speeding yards (242). He additionally accomplished 26 of 35 passes for 275 yards with 5 touchdowns and an interception.

Pribula is not the primary quarterback to enter the portal earlier than his crew competes within the CFP. Former Texas backup quarterback Maalik Murphy entered the portal in mid-December 2023 and departed the crew earlier than the Longhorns confronted Washington in a CFP semifinal.

Murphy transferred to Duke and began all through the 2024 season earlier than reentering the portal.

SMU backup quarterback Preston Stone additionally entered the switch portal final week, however he’ll stay with the Mustangs by means of their CFP run.

Allar and Pribula are the one Penn State quarterbacks to try passes this season. True freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, ESPN’s No. 76 recruit within the 2024 class, is ready to again up Allar in the course of the College Football Playoff.