Woes for James Franklin Confirmed as Penn State Insider’s Concerning Admission Threatens Drew Allar’s Future

James Franklin always sticks to the playbook basics. “Steady as she goes” is his motto: zero risks, just get the job done. And Penn State did it throughout last season, doing what’s needed without even trying beyond the bare minimum. Their QB1 Drew Allar? He matched that steady vibe, but even he couldn’t pull through in the semifinals, leaving Penn State empty-handed. Now, Allar’s back for his senior year, new faces in the mix, and all eyes are on Franklin. Woes for James Franklin? Confirmed, because a Penn State insider’s admission is putting pressure on Drew Allar’s future. If Franklin doesn’t crank up this offense, Penn State’s gonna watch another championship slip away.

The real issue here? James Franklin’s former star quarterback, Beau Pribula—a true gem and top-tier talent from the 2023 and 2024 seasons—has jumped ship for Missouri. And after him, Drew Allar is the one holding up the team tight with two other quarterbacks, Ethan Grunkemeyer and Bekkem Kritza, waiting for their turn. Even with a QB room that seems to look pretty decent, insider Zack Seyko has concerns about their offense. “Things you need to know about this quarterback room heading into the spring football season are just unproven,” Seyko said. In a way that makes sense.

When you look at their last season’s passes, Drew Allar completed 262 of 394 attempts, Pribula 26 of 35, and freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer 1 of 2 for 9 yards. That doesn’t exactly scream strong quarterback depth. For now, it’s clear Franklin will ride with Allar for 95% of the snaps this fall, but he needs a solid backup like Pribula was. Remember when Drew was out injured against Wisconsin? Pribula led them to a 28-13 win, but now he’s off to Missouri. However, the backup room isn’t completely empty.

Not just Zack Seyko, but even James Franklin thinks Ethan Grunkemeyer has serious potential. Zack says, “Ethan Grunkemeyer, second-year quarterback, redshirt freshman, he has a lot of potential. James Franklin and this coaching staff and the players have spoken very highly of him. Could he have his own Beau Pribula package? Grunkemeyer is a promising prospect, and he will take the heir-apparent to the quarterback spot going into 2026.” A 4-star recruit from Lewis Center, Ohio, Grunkemeyer was the No. 7 overall quarterback prospect in the class of 2024. He’s clearly a polished passer, a future Power Five starter. But then it’s just down to those two.

Their 3-star recruit, Bekkem Kritza, isn’t someone they can fully lean on. “I’d like the depth chart of Allar, Pribula, and then Grunkemeyer is a promising prospect, but he was QB3. Now Bekkem Kritza becomes the presumed QB3.” It’s not that Kritza isn’t capable; he’s got good high school stats, 1747 passing yards, 20 TDs, and a 65.5% completion rate. But experience matters, and even Zack feels the same: “And if he’s [Kritza] in a football game now, maybe it’s some garbage time, but if he has to lead the offense, he’s a developmental prospect.” So, with this uncertain backup situation, can James Franklin maximize his team’s potential, or will he just pile more pressure on Drew Allar?

Penn State is heaping extra weight on Drew Allar’s shoulders

Well, it’s pretty clear that James Franklin is still facing challenges, as Drew Allar’s decision-making has become a major topic of discussion following a difficult loss against Notre Dame. While Allar’s talent is evident, his performance, particularly in crucial moments, has raised significant concerns. Josh Pate was candid in his assessment, stating, “It was bad decision-making.” Allar’s interception towards the end of the game, with the score tied at 24, could have potentially prevented his team from going into overtime, leading Pate to swiftly point fingers at the young quarterback.

Moreover, Pate’s blunt verdict didn’t just stop at that: “A quarterback has a disproportionately higher contributing factor to winning or losing a game.” While it’s unusual to blame a single individual for an entire loss, quarterbacks have the ability to influence the result, and Allar’s errors turned out to be expensive. The interception wasn’t the sole problem; a lateral pass out of bounds as the game concluded further fueled the frustration.

It is a tough reality for both Franklin and Allar, who are now under increasing pressure following a loss that appeared preventable. Pate’s remarks went straight. Taking a jab at Drew as he said, “It should be on him.” For now, Allar’s future with Penn State hangs in the balance, and his capacity to recover from these setbacks will determine if he can live up to the potential that everyone recognizes in him.