Penn State coach James Franklin defended backup quarterback Beau Pribula, who entered the transfer portal on Monday and will leave the team before the College Football Playoff, saying that “we have problems in college football” and that Pribula “cannot be put in that position.” should”. “

Franklin said the timing of the open transfer portal overlapping with CFP prep and games and creating the need for quarterbacks to make their transfer decisions creates an untenable situation.

“The overlapping CFB playoffs and transfer portal schedule forced me to make an impossible decision,” Pribula, a redshirt sophomore who played a clear role in Penn State’s offense behind starter Drew Allar, wrote Sunday in the social media.

His portal entry comes after Allar informed Penn State coaches that he will return for the 2025 season.

“We have problems in college football, and I can give you my word, Beau Pribula didn’t want to leave our program, and he didn’t want to leave our program until the end of the season,” Franklin said Monday. “But the way the portal is and the timing and the way our team plays and when you play the quarterback position and there’s only one spot and those spots are getting filled more and more, he felt , like he’s hit a dead end.” Win situation, and I agree with him.

“No. 1, I hate it, especially Beau Pribula. I don’t think it’s in the best interest of the student-athlete, I don’t think it’s in the best interest of college football.”

Franklin said Pribula was “a phenomenal teammate, a big reason we are where we are,” and said he has accepted the challenging role of backup quarterback.

Pribula had several conversations with Franklin before finalizing his decision and timing.

Penn State, the No. 6 seed in the CFP, will host No. 11 seed SMU in a CFP first-round game on Saturday.

Pribula, a redshirt sophomore, ranked second on the team with six rushing touchdowns and was third in both carries (38) and rushing yards (242). He also completed 26 of 35 passes for 275 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.

Pribula isn’t the first quarterback to enter the portal before his team competes in the CFP. Former Texas backup quarterback Maalik Murphy entered the portal in mid-December 2023 and left the team before the Longhorns faced Washington in the CFP semifinals.

Murphy transferred to Duke and played the entire 2024 season before returning to the portal.

SMU backup quarterback Preston Stone also entered the transfer portal last week but will remain with the Mustangs during their CFP run.

Allar and Pribula are the only Penn State quarterbacks attempting passes this season. True freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, ESPN’s No. 76 recruit in the 2024 class, will assist Allar during the College Football Playoff.