Penn State QB turning heads in offseason workouts

Members of the Penn State football program have a short reprieve before returning to campus for the start of summer workouts. But that doesn’t mean the Nittany Lions have stopped putting in work ahead of the 2025 campaign.

Backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer went viral this week after a workout with famed passing guru Brad Maendler. The rising sophomore turned heads with his strong arm and smooth release.

Penn State’s Ethan Grunkemeyer is a smooth operator with a violent arm 👀#QBX🎯💪🌪 pic.twitter.com/Qx4gmV4YF6

— Brad Maendler (@BradMaendler) May 15, 2025

A four-star in the class of 2024, Grunkemeyer was named the Nittany Lions backup quarterback for the College Football Playoff after Beau Pribula entered the transfer portal. He went 1-2 with a nine-yard completion and an interception in his appearance against SMU.

The only quarterback on the roster other than Drew Allar who has attempted a pass in college, Grunkemeyer could play a vital role for Penn State football in 2025. During fall camp, he will compete with former three-star Jaxon Smolik, who is back from a season-ending injury last spring, to serve in the No. 2 role behind Allar. In two seasons as backup, Pribula led the Nittany Lions to wins on multiple occasions after Allar exited with injuries, first against Rutgers in 2023 and then again at Wisconsin last October.

“It’s going to be important that we get these guys reps in practice and in game as well,” James Franklin said after the Blue-White Game. “Whoever wins the backup quarterback job, we’re going to have to get them real reps, whether that be packages that we have set up for them or entire series.”

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