For most backup quarterbacks, playing time comes during low-stakes moments, late into blowouts when the game is at hand, typically against interior competition. For Penn State’s Ethan Grunkemeyer, it was the opposite.
With senior Drew Allar going down late against Northwestern with a broken ankle, Grunkemeyer was instantly plunged into one of the more demanding roles in all of college football — the starting quarterback at one of the nation’s premier programs.
Compounding the pressure, Grunkemeyer’s first two starts came on the road at Iowa and at Ohio State, two hostile environments featuring top-10 scoring defenses, a daunting task for even a veteran quarterback.
“It’s definitely something I don’t take lightly, to have this opportunity early in my career to be able to go against the top defenses in the country,” Grunkemeyer said Tuesday. “Seeing that there have been opportunities, and we have made plays, I think there’s more plays to be made. I think that it’s just exciting for me to be able to see that and know that we can do this.”
The road doesn’t get any easier, with Indiana bringing the No. 3 scoring defense to Happy Valley, looking to take advantage of a green gunslinger. The Hoosiers are allowing just 10.8 points per game and lead the Big Ten in interceptions, something Grunkemeyer is keenly aware of.
“They have guys that fly around to the football,” Grunkemeyer said. “They play the quarterback well, and I think that’s something they really do well in the secondary.”
He also credited Indiana’s defensive front for getting consistent pressure, forcing errant throws from quarterbacks under duress. Defensive ends Mikail Kamara and Stephen Daley are credited with 32 and 27 pressures, respectively, while defensive tackle Mario Landino has 22, per PFF. For context, Dani Dennis-Sutton leads all Nittany Lions with 23 this season.
Heading into his third start, Grunkemeyer said he’s improved his comfortability in the pocket, something that could help alleviate those issues.
“There were definitely some times where I could have stepped up more or whatnot, but I think that was a big improvement,” Grunkemeyer said. “And I think that I can even get another big jump from game two to game three, just kind of that game experience. You can’t really get anything like it until you’re actually in the game.”
Interim head coach Terry Smith said Monday he saw growth from Grunkemeyer’s first start to his second, and that he’s continued to noticeably develop this week.
While his stat lines haven’t been pretty, there’s been tangible improvement in his play. Grunkemeyer was 15-for-28 for 93 yards and two interceptions against the Hawkeyes, compared to 19-for-28 for 145 yards and one interception against the Buckeyes, who have the better defense statistically.
After five consecutive losses, a head coach switch and copious external distractions, Grunkemeyer said the locker room remains united, and he’s focused on one thing amid the chaos.
“At the end of the day, what’s gonna help this program the most is, what can we do to win this game this week?” he said. “And I think that our team does a really good job of keeping that focus.”
