MADISON, Wis. — Beau Pribula raced into the locker room beaming with happiness. He had replaced injured starting quarterback Drew Allar and led Penn State to a 28-13 comeback victory at Wisconsin on Saturday. That was when Pribula saw offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who brought up a memory that quite possibly manifested Pribula’s big night.
“We talked about our bro walk,” Pribula said.
It just so happened that on Tuesday, Pribula and Kotelnicki walked side by side with shirts off around the Nittany Lions’ practice field. Just a backup quarterback and his offensive coordinator, talking. Their discussion were wide-ranging, but there was one specific subject that came to life in Saturday’s win.
“I actually said I’ve been preparing as the starter, but I have to put myself in the starter’s shoes,” Pribula said postgame. “It’s one thing to prepare like the starter, but it’s another thing to put yourself in the mindset of, ‘I am a starter.’ I have to be ready for that moment. We actually talked about that a little bit. So it’s just kind of ironic.”
Pribula knew his moment was coming long before Allar’s second-quarter injury. It was only a matter of time before his name was called at a crucial point. And there was no doubt in Pribula’s mind that he would rise to the occasion. All it took for him was an opportunity, which came amid a halftime deficit with momentum lacking.
It took one sour drive and then both Pribula and Kotelnicki were adjusted. There was no losing this football game. Pribula completed a sharp first-down pass to start his second drive, and he was lights out the rest of the way. In all, he completed 11-of-13 pass attempts for 98 yards and a touchdown while rushing six times for 28 yards.
James Franklin hardly needed to remind Kotelnicki to change his play calls based on Pribula’s strengths, but did anyway. Kotelnicki was ready to go.
“One of the things I think it’s really important as a staff and as an offensive coordinator, you gotta be committed to call the game differently,” Franklin said. “That’s easier said than done, right? And we have enough diversity within our offensive scheme to play the strengths.”
Pribula epitomized the culture Franklin has been trying to build within his program, especially amid an injury-riddled season that left three starters — Allar, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and right tackle Anthony Donkoh — with bumps and bruises by the end of Saturday’s action.
“An unselfish team and unselfish players,” Franklin said.
Pribula knows it’s not about him. It’s about the team and it’s about winning. He also knows he couldn’t have led the Nittany Lions to victory by himself. Kotelnicki was there with him on every step, from their walk around the practice field to their game-winning, second-half display against the Badgers.
“I don’t think Coach K flinched when I had to take over, and that gave me a lot of confidence,” Pribula said.
