At one point last season, Penn State fans probably started to think of “The Beau Pribula package” similar to how they thought of Bigfoot and the Lochness Monster.
People heard about it but never saw it.
Late in the season, Penn State started to implement the backup QB from York into the offense more. The highlight was this wild touchdown at Maryland Nov. 6.
The Beau Pribula package has made its debut in College Park.
A thing of beauty.
— Alex Rocco (@AlexRocco13_) November 4, 2023
Still, at the end of the season, plenty of Penn State fans wished they’d seen more of Pribula. Judging by coach James Franklin’s quotes from Big Ten Media Days Wednesday, they weren’t the only ones.
“I think first of all, that was another area that was an issue, right?” Franklin said. “You look at the last two games of the year, (Pribula’s role) changed dramatically. Explosive plays changed dramatically, and touches for guys changed. So, that’s something that I think is football 101, but a lot of times, you know, mistakes are made there for whatever reason. So that’s a focus that me and Andy spent a lot of time talking about in the offseason.”
“Andy” is Penn State’s first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.
Kotelnicki came over after a successful three-year run in which he turned Kansas from one of the worst offenses in the country to one of the best.
Kotelnicki was known to use two quarterbacks at the same time at Kansas. So it’s reasonable to believe something similar will take place in Happy Valley.
Kansas loved it's 2 QB formations and unique shifts. OC Andy Kotelnicki is taking his attack to Penn State in 2024! Check out all the creative ways they got their playmakers the ball below! #RockChalkJayhawk #KUFootball #wearepennstate https://t.co/6W8vcfo1ug pic.twitter.com/O7UTpxupYR
— Throw Deep Publishing (@TDPublishing) January 4, 2024
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Something Franklin has emphasized over the offseason is the importance of Penn State getting its best offensive players involved.
For Kotelnicki, that includes Pribula.
“What another great weapon,” Kotelnicki told reporters last month. “When you have a guy like that, whatever we have to do to get our best players on the field and put stress on the defense and that allows to execute and go score touchdowns and win football games, we’re going to do it.”
For Franklin, Kotelnicki knows how to emphasize what his players do well.
“I think, you know, Andy’s done enough things as an offensive coordinator over 19 years that he’s able to play to the strengths of his personnel,” Franklin said.
Franklin also feels Pribula is similar to the QBs Kotelnicki worked with at Kansas.
“I remember talking very early with Drew (Allar) about that, and I said, ‘you’re talking about a guy who’s been an offensive coordinator for 19 years and has done it with a lot of different people and a lot of different skill sets. And, also does enough things offensively that we’re going to be able to play to whoever the strengths are of the guys that are on the field.”
Franklin ended by saying that Pribula will be a contributor.
“He’ll have a role,” Franklin said. “He needs to have a role. He had a role last year. He’s still competing for the job as well, but he’s going to need to be a part of what we do either way however this camp plays out.”
