Penn State Missing Several Key Players for Game at Michigan State

The Nittany Lions have just one scholarship quarterback available for their Big Ten game against the Spartans.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Terry Smith looks on from the sideline during the second quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State's quarterback situation is quite thin for Saturday's game against Michigan State. in fact, the Nittany Lions have just one scholarship quarterback available to play vs. the Spartans.

According to the Big Ten availability report, Penn State quarterbacks Jaxon Smolik and Bekkem Kritza are out for the game. Smolik has been unavailable since getting injured against Iowa. Kritza, a true freshman, has been available for just one game this season but has yet to play.

That leaves redshirt freshman starter Ethan Grunkemeyer as Penn State's only available scholarship quarterback for Saturday's Big Ten game against Michigan State. For the third consecutive week, Penn State's backup quarterback will be senior receiver Liam Clifford.

Penn State began the season with four scholarship quarterbacks, three of whom are unavailable for the game. Former starter Drew Allar has been out since sustaining a season-ending injury against Northwestern on Oct. 11. Smolik and Kritza are out for the same game for the first time this season.

Penn State's defense will be without two contributors and could miss a starter as well. Starting cornerback AJ Harris is listed as questionable for the game. Freshman defensive end Chaz Coleman, who has been a pass-rush threat this season, is out for the second straight week. Rotational safety Antonio Belgrave-Shorter also is out.

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Ethan Grunkemeyer goes solo

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) warms up on the sideline during the third quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Grunkemeyer will make his fourth career start, and third on the road, against Michigan State. He shined in the second half last week against Indiana, finishing the game 22-for-31 for 219 yards and a touchdown. He completed 13 of 20 passes in the second half, leading Penn State to three straight scoring drives after a third-quarter interception.

“He started to throw the ball down the field and he gave us a chance,” Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said. “He fought us back into the game. I think his growth continues to get better. We have a quarterback for the future and we're going to continue to develop and push the ball down the field and give him opportunities to make plays. … I thought he grew up big-time in the second half.”

If Grunkemeyer can't play, Penn State would turn to Liam Clifford, a fifth-year senior who has played wide receiver his entire career. The Nittany Lions began introducing Clifford as an energency quarterback during their bye week, and he took a few Wildcat snaps at Ohio State.

Clifford did not play last week against Indiana. However, Penn State quarterbacks coach Danny O'Brien said that Clifford has been spending "a good bit of time" in the position room.

"He can do a lot," O'Brien said. "... [We're] very fortunate to have him on our team, given the injuries we've had in the room, being a little bit short. He's just a guy who's able to do a lot mentally."

"... And yeah, he'll do whatever is asked of him. He's always been that way, Penn State kid and all that. So he'll be ready to go in whatever role we ask him to do."

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