Penn State quarterback entering NCAA transfer portal

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Who will be Penn State’s quarterback in 2026? That remains to be seen, but it looks as though one candidate has officially been ruled out.

Bekkem Kritza, a freshman and member of Penn State’s Class of 2025, is set to enter the transfer portal and explore his potential options to play elsewhere in 2026. Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported Kritza’s transfer portal news as the transfer window will be opening soon.

Kritza did not appear in a game for Penn State this season, so he could use the 2025 season as a redshirt year to preserve a year of eligibility. That would give him four years to still use at a new school.

Penn State will be moving on from Drew Allar as his eligibility expires. Ethan Grunkemeyer took over the starting job following Allar’s season-ending injury midway through the season, and he appeared to get better each week. Penn State ended the season on a four-game winning streak with Grunkemeyer leading the offense, capped by a solid showing in the Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson. It is unknown what the future has for Grunkemeyer at the moment.

Penn State did add a commitment from four-star quarterback Peyton Falzone in the Class of 2026 as an early signing period signee. Penn State is also expected to be a leading candidate for Iowa State transfer quarterback Rocco Becht once the transfer portal opens, given Becht’s connection to Penn State head coach Matt Campbell and the new members of the staff coming to Happy Valley from Ames, Iowa.

As for Becht, he will be a transfer quarterback worth watching despite not having any game experience just yet.

Penn State freshman quarterback Bekkem Kritza is entering the transfer portal, his agency @PetersonSports tells @CBSSports.
The 6-5, 200-pound Kritza, who is repped by Zach Garcia and James Peterson, ranked as the sixth-best QB prospect in Florida in the 2025 recruiting class. pic.twitter.com/eS7mbBOrIC
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 30, 2025