Penn State Quarterback Set to enter Portal, Plus Where he Could Land

The Penn State Quarterback Situation has gotten a lor clearer. Today, Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer announced that he is entering the transfer portal.

This likely means Iowa State transfer Rocco Becht will be the Nittany Lions signal caller in 2026.

Ethan Grunkemeyer's Pinstripe Bowl performance was an elite audition for both Penn State's starting job in 2026, and any potential transfer portal opportunities. — Ethan Grunkemeyer’s Pinstripe Bowl performance was an elite audition for both Penn State’s starting job in 2026, and any potential transfer portal opportunities. (Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

Could Grunkemeyer Land at Cincinnati?

The redshirt freshman is coming off of an impressive campaign filling in for Drew Allar. Grunkemeyer was thrust into a tough situation when James Franklin was fired. His first 3 starts came at Iowa, at Ohio State, and versus Indiana. In each game, Grunkemeyer steadily improved. Additionally, in the Pinstripe Bowl he led the Nittany Lions to an impressive win over Clemson in which Grunkemeyer was 23 of 34 for 260 yards and 2 touchdowns.

On the year, Grunkemeyer posted 1,339 passing yards, and 8 touchdowns in 7 games. After the Ohio State game, the offense became much more efficient through the air and even had a nice vertical passing threat.

The Columbus native will have 3 years of elgibility left. As Grunkemeyer has certainly played himself into a starting power 4 job, Cincinnati would make a lot of sense for him. Being an Ohio kid, Cincinnati offered Grunkemeyer out of high school. Plus, the Bearcats just lost Quarterback Brendon Sorsby to the transfer portal. The Bearcats will be a team to watch in Grunkemeyer’s transfer portal recruitment.

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Ian Purdy

Penn State Football Recruiting Analyst at NittanyCentral

Ian Purdy covers Penn State Football Recruiting for NittanyCentral.

Purdy was born and raised in central Ohio and served for four years writing for his high school's newsletter. Currently studying Biblical Studies at Lancaster Bible College in Pennsylvania, Ian has been a lifelong Nittany Lion fan.

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Ian Purdy

Ian Purdy covers Penn State Football Recruiting for NittanyCentral. Purdy was born and raised in central Ohio and served for four years writing for his high school's newsletter. Currently studying Biblical Studies at Lancaster Bible College in Pennsylvania, Ian has been a lifelong Nittany Lion fan.

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<img class="aligncenter wp-image-17373" src="https://nittanycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG_1696.jpg" alt="Ian Purdy, NittanyCentral Lead Penn State Football Recruiting Analyst" width="250" height="250" /> Ian Purdy covers Penn State Football Recruiting for NittanyCentral. Purdy was born and raised in central Ohio and served for four years writing for his high school's newsletter. Currently studying Biblical Studies at Lancaster Bible College in Pennsylvania, Ian has been a lifelong Nittany Lion fan.

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