James Franklin updates Penn State's backup QB decision

USA Today

7 days ago

Jaxon Smolik and Ethan Grunkemeyer still competing to back up Drew Allar
For the third striaght season, Penn State knows who the starting quarterback of the team will be. But one of the more important questions at the position may not be answered before the start of the season. Who will be the backup option to Drew Allar should one be needed to call into action?
After losing Beau Pribula to the transfer portal just before the start of the College Football Playoff last season, Penn State's top two options behind Allar come down to redshirt sophomore Jaxon Smolik and redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer. If you are to take anything head coach James Franklin said to heart during a media day session on Saturday, the decision may linger into the season.
"That one in the spring was really tightly contested," Franklin said on Saturday when meeting with the media. "This thing is, I think, going to go right down to the wire."
Franklin suggested the decision on who will back up Allar could be determined on a weekly basis based on performance during the week during practices, which suggests Franklin and his staff are not comfortable making a firm call at this time and are encouraging more competition for the job.
"Depending, if it finishes up like it did in the spring, it could continue throughout the entire year," Franklin said. "If it's close, if there's a gap, there's a gap. If it's close, I think the competition could go throughout the year, whoever has the best week that week is going to be the backup quarterback type of deal, just based on how close it was this spring."
This is a tactic that is not new for Franklin. We have seen this strategy play out multiple times in recent seasons with the backup quarterback decision-making. In 2021, there was some indecision on who would be the backup option to cemented starter Sean Clifford with Ta'Quan Roberson and Christian Veilleux competing for the backup job. Penn State was forced to throw in Roberson in a tough spot on the road against Iowa when Clifford was knocked out of a game, and Roberson showed he was not at all ready for the spot. Later in the season, when Clifford was again banged up in a game, it was Veilleux who stepped onto the field as his replacement. Franklin explained that Veilleux was not ready for the spot earlier in the season against Iowa.
Smolik, who flipped from Tulane to Penn State in 2023, missed the 2024 season due to an injury, and Grunkemeyer did not get on the field until getting a chance to relieve Allar in a win in the first round of the College Football Playoff last season against SMU. Grunkemeyer may have the more promising future outlook as the possible successor to Allar in 2026, but Franklin and his staff will not worry about what could be in 2026 when it comes to determining the best option to win on a week-to-week basis this season.
Of course, the hope is that Franklin and his staff will not have to lose too much sleep over who fills in for Allar.
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