Why the Penn State Nittany Lions will regret letting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer enter the transfer portal this offseason.
In life, it’s normal for humans to resort to their old ways and favor comfort over the unknown. However, in the case of the Penn State Nittany Lions and their newly hired head coach, Matt Campbell, comfort could be detrimental to the program's future.
After star quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending injury against the Northwestern Wildcats early in the 2025 season, the Nittany Lions were forced to start backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.
The former four-star prospect would struggle in his first couple of starts; however, he would eventually find his groove and end his 2025 season on a high note. In his seven games as a starter, Grunkemeyer would go on to throw for 1,234 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Obviously, the sample size to evaluate Grunkemeyer was short, but it was clear that the young quarterback had the potential to become a key piece of the offensive attack in 2026.
Unfortunately for Nittany Lions’ fans, the program will never get to see his capability in State College.
Earlier this week, college football insider Pete Nakos reported that Grunkemeyer plans to enter the transfer portal. The news was upsetting to the struggling franchise, as many were concerned about the quarterback position in 2026.
Shortly after the report, fans received some insight into what may have occurred, as former Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht announced that he will be entering the transfer portal.
Becht was the leader of Campbell’s offensive attack over the past three seasons, throwing for 9,274 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions. In addition to his efforts through the air, the veteran playmaker also recorded 499 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns throughout his time with the Cyclones. And with Becht entering the portal, many insiders have already given him a crystal ball prediction to land with the Nittany Lions.
While Becht has multiple advantages over Grunkemeyer, such as his experience at the college level and under Campbell, fans understand what they are getting with Becht. His duel-threat ability makes him an intriguing option, but during his time at Iowa State, there was no indication that he could be a real threat within the Big 10 Conference.
Grunkemeyer, on the other hand, is a question mark. The redshirt freshman showed plenty of promise in his last four games, and with proper coaching and additional weapons surrounding him, Grunkemeyer could wind up with a higher ceiling than Becht at the college level.