One of Penn State football’s quarterbacks is expected to miss a significant amount of time due to injury.
Ryan Snyder of Blue-White Illustrated reported late Friday afternoon that Jaxon Smolik is expected to be out for a while.
Snyder reported that, per source, Smolik “will miss at least the rest of spring ball and is out indefinitely.”
Smolik, a 6-foot-1, 205-pounder was in the middle of his second spring season with Penn State.
Initially committed to Tulane, Smolik caught Penn State’s attention after his performance at the 2022 Elite 11 showcase. When Marcus Stokes, a QB from Florida, flipped to the University of Florida, there was an opening. Smolik’s relationship with coaches such as then-OC and QB coach Mike Yurcich helped sway him to commit to Penn State. In Year 1, Smolik, playing behind starter Drew Allar and backup Beau Pribula, didn’t get much time, appearing in one game (Delaware) and not throwing a pass.
Now, barring something unforeseen, true freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer will almost certainly be Penn State’s QB. Grunkemeyer (6-foot-2, 202 pounds). Grunkemeyer committed to Penn State last May, competed at the Elite 11 Showcase the next month and went onto have an impressive senior season at Ohio’s Olentangy High School, throwing for the seventh-most yards in Ohio.
Head coach James Franklin talked highly of Grunkemeyer with reporters after practice this past Tuesday.
“Grunkemeyer is really flashing and doing some some nice things right now for a true freshman quarterback,” Franklin said.
Franklin also said he feels there’s a battle for the top spot of the QB depth chart.
“I think there is clearly a real healthy competition and back-and-forth between Drew and Beau,” Franklin said. “That’s been really good. Both have kind of stepped their game up.”
