Penn State Football backup quarterback Beau Pribula played in 11 games last season for the Nittany Lions.
However, despite some extended run, the redshirt freshman quarterback attempted only 21 total passes, with the Nittany Lions instead opting to utilize his running ability when he entered the game.
Pribula was not given a chance to show off his ability to throw the ball even in extended action against Rutgers last season as Pribula finished the final two quarters of the game after starting quarterback Drew Allar left the game due to injury.
In the final 21 plays spanning almost the entire second half against Rutgers, Penn State opted to throw only one pass, running 20 times after Allar’s injury. This season, however, under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, it seems that Pribula may be trusted more to use his arm in game action.
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Beau Pribula Excited About New Penn State Football Offense
After the Penn State offense sputtered in the Nittany Lions big games last season, head coach James Franklin and Penn State fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and brought in Andy Kotelnicki from Kansas to give a new spark to the offense.
While it is still early in Kotelnicki’s tenure, Pribula, for one, is impressed with the new offense.
“Had a ton of fun this whole entire spring,” Pribula told reporters following practice on April 10. “This offense I think fits me really, really well.” He added that the redshirt sophomore thinks he’s “kind of stepped up [his] entire game.”
At least for the in-state quarterback out of York, Pennsylvania, he is seemingly more comfortable throwing the ball in Kotelnicki’s offense.
“I’m really comfortable going through my progressions and making downfield throws,” Pribula mentioned Wednesday during his interview.
QB Beau Pribula on Zoom on his role in the offense: “A lot of the stuff we do is kind of right up my alley. … I think the offense fits me really well.”
Said this spring he’s more confident. “I feel really comfortable going through my progressions and making downfield throws”
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) April 10, 2024
Can Pribula Boost Offense in 2024?
In 2023, Pribula only threw 21 passes, completing 11 of them for a total of 149 yards and four touchdowns.
On the ground, Pribula made much more of a splash, running the ball 56 times for six touchdowns on the season.
Although James Franklin referenced a “healthy competition” among Allar and Pribula this spring, Pribula is expected again to play the role of the backup to Drew Allar in 2024 but may see the field more in two-quarterback sets in Andy Kotelnicki’s offense, something that Kotelnicki schemed up well at his last stop at Kansas.
Franklin added earlier this spring that the Penn State program had “a ton of respect for Beau Pribula” who can serve as a “complementary piece” to Allar.
Whether Pribula’s confidence and comfort throwing in the new offense this spring translates to an increased trust on gamedays this fall remains to be seen, but all signs point to another level being within reach.
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