Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer recently discussed how he’s prepared for the program’s week eight matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes this week.

As the Penn State Nittany Lions prepare for the team’s week eight battle against the Iowa Hawkeyes, the upcoming contest will mark a new era for the program.

Following Penn State’s brutal loss to the Northwestern Wildcats in week seven, athletic director Pat Kraft ultimately decided to fire head coach James Franklin. While the sudden change of coaching continues to circulate in national headlines, the Nittany Lions will also have another key change for the remainder of the season.

Starting quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending injury last week, which means redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer will now be the team’s starting quarterback for the rest of the 2025 college football season. The former four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class is set to make his first-ever start at the collegiate level, despite having little experience.

However, the new role has not affected Grunkemeyer’s mindset heading into Saturday’s game, as he told reporters on Wednesday that the preparation has been the same.

“It’s definitely different,” Grunkemeyer said. “The preparation has been the same, and going into that environment, we’ve been working on the crowd noise. Kinnick Stadium is definitely one of the premier places to play, but we’re working on it, we’re ready for it, and I’m excited.”

Luckily for the young talent, Grunkemeyer has multiple people in his corner to help him prepare for the upcoming matchup, including interim head coach Terry Smith.

“We had two changes this week, so it’s definitely a big role to step into,” Grunkemeyer stated. “But Coach Smith has done an awesome job of trying to help me get ready and just having ongoing conversations with me with what I like and what we can do better, so that’s definitely been super helpful with him hanging around the offense and me as well.”

Smith, who was a former Penn State standout and has been with the team since 2016, is now set to take over the coaching duties for the Nittany Lions. His familiarity with the program will provide extra support for Grunkemeyer, given his extensive experience in primetime games.

In addition to the interim head coach, Grunkemeyer has also received support from Allar during the entire process, as he stated on Wednesday that the former starting quarterback has been a great mentor.

“He’s played in a lot of big games on the road, so he's a great mentor on that aspect — just kind of what to expect and what to be ready for,” Grunkemeyer claimed.

Before arriving at Penn State, Allar was able to grow his connection with Grunkemeyer, with both quarterbacks coming from the state of Ohio and training with the same quarterback coach, Brad Maendler. And while many expected the redshirt freshman to take over the reins in 2026, Allar now possesses the opportunity to help his protégé as he makes his first career start.

Led by longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes have done a remarkable job of defending the run game in 2025. Iowa has allowed an average of 79 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks fifth amongst all FBS programs. With the Hawkeyes’ defense being able to limit the opposing team’s run game, the Nittany Lions must find a way on Saturday to incorporate Grunkemeyer to help on offense.