Beau Pribula is 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds. Trace McSorley played 6-2 and 203. They share the No. 9 jersey while playing quarterback for Penn State.
Both are wiry and lean and twisty and turny and resilient and elusive and gutsy and shifty and swifty and oh-so-popular with their teammates, fans, fellow students and Penn State fans.
McSorley won 31 games and a Big Ten championship as the starting Nittany Lion quarterback. He beat Ohio State once — Penn State’s only win over Ohio State since 2011 — and lost two other games against the Buckeyes by two points. Total.
Pribula, now in his third season, has yet to start a game for Penn State. But that could change on Saturday at high noon, when No. 3 Penn State (7-0, 4-0) takes on No. 4 Ohio State (6-1, 3-1) in Beaver Stadium.
Pribula saved the day last week in Madison after Drew Allar was injured, turning a 10-7 halftime deficit into a compelling 28-13 victory over the Badgers. Pribula completed 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards, with a one-yard TD toss, and ran six times for 28 yards.
During that game, one of McSorley’s former teammates — DaeSean Hamilton, PSU’s leader in career receptions, with 214 — Tweeted about Pribula and McSorley. Short, very sweet. Got me thinking what those two No. 9s and some other folks think about the two QBs, comparatively speaking. Their thoughts follow.
1. Here is what DeSean Hamilton tweeted:
2. What Pribula said when I asked him post-game what he thought of Hamilton’s Tweet: “He’s Trace McSorley. Everybody knows his legacy. So it means a lot.”
3. What Pribula also told me after the Wisconsin game: “Trace has been in our facility a lot, helping with us. So kind of having him as a mentor has helped a lot this season. Obviously, he’s a big role model for me.”
4. What McSorley texted to me this week, when I asked him about the comparison of the two: “I’m a huge fan of Beau and how he plays. He’s true to himself and makes plays with his arm and legs while seemingly elevating the play of others around him at the same time.”
5. What James Franklin said last season about the No. 9’s: “Well, first of all, it’s the mobility. I think the other thing is both of them are kind of men of few words.
“Both of them had significant impacts at their high schools in terms of winning and having really productive high school careers. I think they also both have really high football IQs and the game makes sense to them.
“I would say style of play probably more than anything. Beau is obviously a little bit bigger, but I would say style of play and guys who have the ability to beat you with decision-making as well as their legs.”
6. What Landon Tengwall says; he’s the former starter on the offensive line at Penn State who now uniquely covers the team via several media outlets (follow him on X here): “I grew up watching Trace McSorley win games — and do so with swagger. Beau Pribula has the same swagger to him. You can’t mess with Beau’s head. He’s Teflon.”
7. What Jay Paterno thinks; he coached a Penn State quarterback who was named the Big Ten offensive player of the year and another PSU quarterback who was two-time first team All-Big Ten: “First, both are confident competitors. Last week ,Beau saw the field well and was decisive when throwing or running it. If that continues, the similarities will be pretty striking.”
8. What Tom Hannifan says; he’s co-host of STATE OF STATE: A PENN STATE FOOTBALL SHOW, along with former Penn State and NFL cornerback Justin King. (Listen here): “Beyond the number on his jersey, Pribula has that McSorley spark. Beau can make plays with his legs on the fly and by design. He is a competent passer who will only improve with more experience on the field. Above all, we have consistently heard about his rapport with his teammates and his ability as a leader.”
9. What I think about the two: Ask me at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
