There’s a buzz in the air within Penn State’s practice facility. The College Football Playoffs have arrived. From here on out, it’s win or go home. It’s understandably a different vibe at practice this year compared to the preparation that preceded a somewhat meaningless Peach Bowl in 2023. Every rep matters now because every rep means one step closer to a national title.
The Nittany Lions appear healthy. A car crash last week has not kept starting safety Jaylen Reed from practicing. There were, however, two notable absences.
Penn State safety Kevin Winston Jr., who was already ruled out for the season with an injury, is gone, having declared for the NFL Draft. And quarterback Beau Pribula, the backup to Drew Allar who also served as an integral piece of offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s gimmicky offense, has departed the program for the transfer portal.
Allar has taken 745 snaps this season. Pribula took 187. Behind them, no quarterback on the roster has played a down of football at the collegiate level. But the show must go on.
Allar took nearly every rep at Wednesday’s practice viewing session. But after continuously rotating through what appeared to be the team’s entire wide receiver corps, true freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer was given one opportunity each time through. Grunkemeyer isn’t expected to be utilized the way Pribula was, but he must stay ready.
Kotelnicki wore a sweatsuit, appearing relaxed but excited. He’s already announced his return for the 2025 season, despite receiving interest for head-coaching opportunities, and has another chance to prove in the playoffs and beyond that he deserves not just any gig, but a high-profile one.
He’s settled in, for now, with the Nittany Lions. He’ll have Allar back and just landed prized wide receiver transfer Kyron Hudson from USC. The pieces are already coming together for what could be a special cast for Kotelnicki next season. But first comes a matchup with SMU on Saturday and the three playoff games that could follow it.
