Penn State Football: Quarterback Christian Veilleux Enters Transfer Portal

Penn State backup quarterback Christian Veilleux announced on Tuesday afternoon that he will be entering the transfer portal. The news was largely expected given the rise of true freshman quarterback and five-star prospect Drew Allar, who is expected to start for Penn State in 2023.

“Being at Penn State has been nothing but a blessing,” Veilleux wrote on Twitter. “I want to thank my teammates, coaches, and staff for memories that I’ll cherish forever. I will be entering my name in the transfer portal with 3 years of eligibility.”

Veilleux operated this season as Penn State’s third-string quarterback after backing up longtime starter Sean Clifford in 2021. Allar was named Penn State’s second-string quarterback prior to the opening week of the season and did not relinquish that role throughout the year. Veilleux leaves Penn State with 282 career passing yards at Penn State and three touchdowns, all of which came in 2021.

“We’ll see how this all plays out, but I hope he stays at Penn State and continues to chase his dream and gets his degree and see how it all plays out,” Penn State coach James Franklin said earlier this year. “Because again, there’s a lot of twists and turns along these journeys.”

With Veilleux’s departure, Penn State will have no game experience behind Allar as the roster is currently constructed. True freshman Beau Pribula is the only other quarterback on Penn State’s roster that is slated to return next year alongside Allar. The Nittany Lions will welcome three-star 2023 commitment Jaxon Smolik to the team this upcoming season as well. It remains to be seen if Franklin opts to pick up a more experienced quarterback out of the transfer portal this offseason.