Much like former Texas Longhorns quarterback Maalik Murphy last year, Penn State Nittany Lions backup quarterback Beau Pribula has fallen victim to a strange, condensed college football schedule. Pribula entered the transfer portal despite harboring College Football Playoff aspirations with his current team.
After thriving as a change-of-pace quarterback with the Nittany Lions this season, he’s probably talented enough to start at the Group of Five level, so he made the difficult decision to leave the team with two years of remaining eligibility. Which programs could be interested in the Penn State passer? Here are five potential transfer portal landing spots for Pribula.
Where Could Beau Pribula Transfer?
Pribula picked the Nittany Lions out of high school as a three-star quarterback prospect. He redshirted as a freshman, then played only in blowouts in 2023, but offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki used him from the jump this season as a change-of-pace option.
Pribula attempted 35 passes for a career-high 275 passing yards and added 242 rushing yards, with an extraordinary touchdown rate — five passing and four rushing touchdowns in less than 200 snaps.
He proved he’s good enough to start in the right system, whether at the Group of Five level or for a Power Four coach who knows how to maximize his talent.
With two years of remaining eligibility, Pribula will be a prized transfer target for the right coach. Here are five schools that could be perfect landing spots for the Penn State passer.
West Virginia Mountaineers
I mentioned that Pribula is probably a Group of Five quarterback starter, but there’s a Power Four team that could be the perfect fit. Rich Rodriguez took over for the West Virginia Mountaineers (again), and he will bring his spread, no-huddle attack with him.
That requires a decisive quarterback whose toughest reads are in the running game, rather than the passing game. Tyler Huff completed just 60% of his passes for the Jacksonville State Gamecocks this season but ran for over 1,300 yards despite missing some time. The two have similar builds, and Pribula is a slightly better passer. I think the fit is perfect.
Tulane Green Wave
The Tulane Green Wave needs a quarterback, and I’m inclined to believe they’ll lean toward a dual-threat guy next season. I’m not sure of the scheme fit between Pribula and offensive coordinator Joe Craddock, but I believe those two would work well together.
When the coaching carousel comes to a stop, we should get some clarity on Tulane’s direction. The Green Wave coaching staff is taking a measured approach to the transfer portal and future starting quarterback. Whoever they target will see an attractive landing spot, though.
Temple Owls
The Temple Owls are not an attractive landing spot without some help, but new head coach K.C. Keeler is known for his ability to work with dual-threat quarterbacks and strong defenses.
A Pennsylvania kid, Pribula is from York, just a short drive from Philadelphia, so this would be a move even closer to home. He’d be the unquestioned starter without much competition.
Michigan Wolverines
If Pribula played for the Michigan Wolverines this season, how many more games could they have won? The Penn State product has already proven he can hold his own in the Big Ten and his legs are appealing to a coach like Sherrone Moore, who wants to have an extra number in the running game.
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New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey is known for his work with dual-threat quarterbacks. He might want an experienced guy like Pribula to bridge the gap between this team and the future with highly ranked freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood.
Syracuse Orange
I’m the captain of the Fran Brown hype train. I don’t subscribe to the notion that Kyle McCord was that much better last year with the Ohio State Buckeyes than Will Howard was this year. I simply believe Brown and the Syracuse Orange offensive staff developed McCord this season.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon is a Penn State graduate, so there’s a small tie between the two. Whoever ends up at Syracuse will take a step forward between 2024 and 2025. With a bit more polish, Pribula could be a high-level ACC starter.
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