Why Penn State's 2025 season still matters after disastrous start

To many, Penn State's season is a complete wash. Quarterback Drew Allar is out for the season, James Franklin is out as head coach, and the team has lost three straight games. A preseason national championship favorite could realistically miss out on a bowl game for the first time since 2020.

However, the final six games of the regular season will still have influence on the future of the program. Here are storylines to watch in the next few months.

Is Ethan Grunkemeyer the quarterback of the future?

The final six games of the season will serve as an extended tryout for redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. Grunkemeyer was a consensus four-star recruit in the class of 2024. He's smaller but quicker than Allar, which could lend itself well to offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki's scheme that includes some RPOs and designed quarterback runs.

If Grunkemeyer flashes potential, then he could have the fast track to the starting job under next year's head coach. There's also a chance the new coach brings his desired quarterback with him via the transfer portal, which could open the door for Grunkemeyer to find a starting opportunity at another program. Grunkemeyer's performance will have a ripple effect on the quarterback carousel this offseason.

Grunkemeyer's play will also correlate with the team's future at wide receiver. Penn State will have to start fresh next season — the top four receivers are all seniors — but a budding young quarterback will attract more options in the transfer portal, and also might convince potential stars like Koby Howard to stick around.

Is Terry Smith a serious head coaching candidate?

Interim head coach Terry Smith is the only remaining assistant coach from Franklin's first coaching staff at Penn State in 2014. He's known as an elite recruiter in the northeast region and has produced NFL talent as the team's cornerbacks coach. If Smith leads a turnaround as the interim, will athletic director Pat Kraft consider him for the full-time gig?

We'll learn more about Smith's career aspirations as the season goes on — in the past, he said he's happy to stay in Happy Valley as an assistant, but that stance may change now that Franklin is gone. If Penn State doesn't want him as head coach, other programs might. An upset over No. 1 Ohio State or No. 3 Indiana would certainly make Smith a hot commodity.

What becomes of the assistant coaches?

All of Penn State's assistants will be coaching for their future jobs, whether at Penn State or elsewhere. If Franklin takes a new head coaching job, he could take some of his former coaches with him. If Penn State hires a coach from another program, that coach will likely bring some of his assistants.

The big question will come down to Kotelnicki and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Both have been touted as brilliant minds in coaching, but the on-field product has been disappointing so far this year. If they can turn around Penn State's offense and defense, respectively, then they could stick around next year under the new head coach. If not, the Nittany Lions would likely be starting from scratch on both sides of the ball.

Who stays and who goes?

The last big question will be from a personnel perspective. Last offseason, a number of draft-eligible players stuck around in pursuit of a championship. Will Penn State see that same buy-in from this year's group? That will depend on the team's new coaching hire, and also how much hope the rest of the season provides.

Notable players who will have to make decisions include offensive linemen Vega Ioane and Anthony Donkoh, linebacker Tony Rojas, defensive tackle Enai White and defensive backs Zion Tracy, Elliot Washington II, Audavion Collins and King Mack.

Of course, every player on the team will have to make a decision on if they want to stay at Penn State. Franklin has built up good talent and depth through his recruiting classes, but that could disappear in an instant this offseason. A lot of players will be pursued by Power Four programs that are in better shape than Penn State. It seems inevitable the team will lose players, but the question is how many.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Why Penn State's 2025 season still matters after disastrous start