Former Penn State QB speaks on tough decision to leave Happy Valley

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Last year, former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer was forced into the spotlight somewhat awkwardly after Drew Allar went down with a season ending injury. While he didn't show much promise early on, he grew into his role and blossomed down the stretch, leading the Nittany Lions to a .500 record and a bowl win to boot. Now, he is in Blacksburg with the Virginia Tech Hokies, as well as with his former Penn State coach, James Franklin. However, his decision to leave Happy Valley wasn't a very easy one to make.

In an interview with Adam Breneman, Grunkemeyer spoke on how difficult it was to make the decision to follow Franklin: ""Luckily, I was home with my family because they kind of [were] the mediator for me. It was really tough on me as a person. Like, I'm a loyal guy. I loved Penn State. Everything that place had given me, the opportunities. I wanted to be able to repay that. So it was really tough. But sometimes, you gotta look past how you feel, and you just gotta make the best decision for your future", Grunkemeyer said of the situation.

For Grunkemeyer, chances are he would have been proven correct had he stayed in Happy Valley. There may have been no clear pathway to him continuing to start as Matt Campbell has reinvented this Penn State squad with many Iowa State transfers filling important roles, including at QB. At the very least at Virginia Tech, Grunkemeyer should be installed as the starter with very little competition in his way.

Most importantly, this move was about finding the right spot for him to grow as a player. On a team that seemingly has no expectations but plays in a much easier conference than the Nittany Lions, Grunkemeyer can showcase the skill set that made Penn State and James Franklin fall in love with him in the first place. Still, many Penn State fans can beg the question of whether or not Grunkemeyer could have panned out in Happy Valley. I guess in a weird way, we still can.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Former Penn State QB speaks on tough decision to leave Happy Valley

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