Andrew Rappleyea spent a lot of time catching passes from Ethan Grunkemeyer this summer.
He wasn’t surprised that Penn State’s No. 2 quarterback played with poise last Saturday in the first extended playing time of his career.
“Grunk’s a playmaker,” Rappleyea said. “There’s no denying that. He just has a ridiculously talented arm. He can flip the thing. He also has a swagger and a confidence about him that you just don’t see with a lot of guys.”
Grunkemeyer completed 7-of-9 passes for 86 yards and directed a 94-yard scoring drive in the Nittany Lions’ 46-11 season-opening rout of Nevada.
A redshirt freshman from Lewis Center, Ohio, he capped that march with a 6-yard run for the first touchdown of his career.
“I’m probably most proud of going in there and having the 94-yard drive,” Grunkemeyer said. “That was big for our offense backed up in our own territory. Being able to march down all the way and score was pretty cool.”
He completed a 12-yard pass to running back Cam Wallace, who hurdled a defender, and a 26-yard throw to Rappleyea, a tight end, on third-and-7. The Wolf Pack flushed Grunkemeyer out of the pocket on both plays, but he maintained his composure.
He said he’s stronger and faster than he was when he arrived at Penn State in January 2024. He credited that to strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey and his staff.
“This year all my numbers increased dramatically,” Grunkemeyer said. “Just taking the next step physically with my strength and my speed has been really helpful.
“I’ve definitely seen an impact in the run game, evading pressures and making throws on the perimeter and over the middle. I’m more confident with my strength.”
Grunkemeyer and starter Drew Allar share the same quarterback coach in Ohio, Brad Maendler, who has maintained that Grunk “has a chance to be special.”
Grunkemeyer has learned much in meeting rooms, practice and games from Allar, who’s projected to be a first-round draft pick next year.
“There’s a ton,” he said. “All eyes are on him. I’ve learned how to be a big-time QB and how to prepare to be one of the best, if not the best, QBs in the country. He does that at a really high level.
“It’s how he breaks down tape and how he prepares for the game plan. I’m always trying to pick his brain on that. I’ve learned a lot from him and still hope to get more pieces the rest of the year.”
Grunkemeyer edged Jaxon Smolik to be Allar’s primary backup. The two had competed against each other since the start of spring practice before coach James Franklin named Grunkemeyer as the No. 2 QB last week.
“I’m also close with Smolik,” Rappleyea said. “The battle between them really brought something out of Grunk. He’s a really good player. He has a bright future. …He just does what he does. He knows what he brings to the table.”
At Olentangy High School, Grunkemeyer passed for 8,401 yards and 80 touchdowns in his career and was named to the all-state first team. He was rated a four-star recruit and one of the top six prospects in Ohio.
After Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri, Grunkemeyer made his debut last December against SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff. He entered early in the fourth quarter with Penn State leading 38-3 and threw an interception on his first career attempt. He later tossed a 9-yard completion.
He noticed a difference before and during the win over Nevada last week.
“I felt a lot more comfortable as a second-year guy with the playbook in my second year under Coach K (offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki),” Grunkemeyer said. “It had been seven months since we really stepped on a football field versus an opponent, so that was really exciting for me.
“Once I stepped on the field for pregame warmups, I knew I was ready to go with all the preparation we put in during the week. I was ready to perform.”
