IOWA CITY, IOWA — It’s well-known that quarterback is the most important position in football, and possibly in professional sports. If you dispute that, you’re wrong.
Logically, the best way to field a successful team is to have the best possible quarterback. That’s the part the Nittany Lions’ current administration struggles with.
Since the start of 2024, when Andy Kotelnicki took over as offensive coordinator and Danny O’Brien was elevated to quarterbacks coach, no Penn State quarterback has shown development, and arguably they’ve regressed.
It’s not for lack of talent — the Nittany Lions entered the season with two blue-chip prospects on the roster: five-star Drew Allar and four-star Ethan Grunkemeyer. Allar chose to forgo a potential first-round NFL draft selection to return for his senior year. An unfortunate injury ended his season early, but the stats and eye test during the first six games showed obvious decline in mental processing despite the ever-present glimpses of elite physical traits.
He went from completing 262 of 394 passes (66.5%) to 103 of 159 (64.8%), his yards per attempt dropped from 8.4 to 6.9 and his touchdown-interception ratio also regressed in this season, with continuity on the offensive line, an elite running back and a revamped wide receiver corps with three proven transfers.
Issues with progressions, decision-making, footwork and more are all coachable traits that even fans have consistently observed and called out on social media to no avail. For a quarterback with elite size and mechanics who can make any throw on the field and has drawn comparisons to Lamar Jackson for his running ability (from James Franklin last season), the lack of improvement is inexcusable. Nothing changes if nothing changes, as they say.
After Allar’s broken ankle sidelined him for the rest of the season, redshirt freshman Grunkemeyer got the nod. Ignoring his one snap against Northwestern — a failed fourth-and-short conversion that effectively ended the game — he had a week of preparation knowing he’d start, though he and the coaches claim all the players always prepare like starters year-round regardless of placement on the depth chart.
So how did Grunkemeyer fare in his first college start, albeit in a hostile road environment? Not much better than Ta’Quan Roberson did in the same stadium four years ago, which is saying something.
He finished 15-for-28 for 93 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. But at least he contributed on the ground, with six carries for one (1) yard.
It’s hard to close the book on Grunkemeyer after the first page, but he appeared woefully underprepared for Saturday night’s game.
There have been moments where Penn State’s defense has been talented enough to mask offensive inefficiency, but ultimately the Nittany Lions’ quarterback play hasn’t been enough. It’s an indictment on Kotelnicki and O’Brien, whose hiring and promotion were generally met with strong optimism.
It’s one thing to lack God-given talent, but being unable to read a defense or show improvement over time fall solely on the coaching staff.
The future isn’t bright either — Missouri flipped four-star class of 2025 Pennsylvania native Matt Zollers, and four-star class of 2026 Troy Huhn recently decommitted.
If the Nittany Lions want to compete at the highest level, something needs to change in the quarterback room.
