What You Don't See In The Transfer Portal: Beau Pribula Tells All
“Don’t worry about what anybody else says,” Pribula said. “Believe in yourself and have confidence in yourself."
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Hey friends,
In my latest “Next Up” episode, I sat down with Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula for a raw, emotional, and wide-ranging conversation.
From living out his childhood dream at Penn State to navigating the complexities of the transfer portal, NIL, and a position battle with Drew Allar, Pribula opened up like never before.
He shared the behind-the-scenes story of leaving Penn State before the College Football Playoff, how he chose Missouri, and why he feels like his journey is just beginning. We discussed leadership, doubt, money, pressure, and what it really means to compete – on and off the field.
For the first time, Pribula shared the moment he knew he could be a great college quarterback, what fans haven’t seen from him yet, and how he's using this next chapter to prove he belongs among the best in the country.
This is one of the most honest and insightful conversations you’ll hear all year. Let’s dive into my favorite takeaways:
1️⃣ Roll With The Punches
Beau Pribula was never just a backup quarterback throughout his three seasons in Happy Valley.
The Pennsylvania native, who many compared to former Nittany Lion legend Trace McSorley, won over the blue and white faithful’s hearts through his gritty playstyle and gamer mentality.
Last fall, Pribula racked up 517 total yards and nine touchdowns, compared to just one interception. When starting quarterback Drew Allar went down against Wisconsin, Pribula turned a 10-7 deficit into a resounding 28-13 victory.
As a lifelong Nittany Lion fan and locker room focal point, Pribula never envisioned leaving Penn State. But, with all signs pointing towards Allar’s return in State College, Pribula had to make a decision to maximize his collegiate eligibility.
“I still remember that day — it was a Sunday, the week before SMU, the first round of the playoffs, and I practiced that day,” Pribula told me. “I didn’t even know I was going to transfer. I had just come down from Coach Franklin’s office, [and] we had finally come to the decision where I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to have to move on, and I can’t play in this game.’”
The first transfer portal window of the offseason opened on December 9 and closed on December 28. Unfortunately, the College Football Playoff began on December 20.
If Pribula stayed with the Nittany Lions, he would’ve risked countless opportunities to find an advantageous landing spot with a quarterback vacancy.
The transfer portal timing put him in an unimaginable bind — one that forced him to prioritize his own future as a team-first player.
“We just played in the Big Ten Championship versus Oregon, and there was zero thought about transferring – like zero,” Pribula said. “I was like, ‘I can’t wait to play in the playoffs.’”
“It was rough,” Pribula recounted. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, making that decision and leaving the team before the playoffs. It was not something I wanted to do… It was just horrible timing, and I hope it’s getting fixed.”
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2️⃣ Love The Game
During our conversation, Pribula made it clear that he didn’t transfer to maximize NIL earnings off the field.
Simply put, he loves football, and Missouri offered him a unique opportunity to thrive as an offensive catalyst rather than a gadget-type weapon.
“I had zero conversations about money with anybody, thankfully,” Pribula said. “I didn’t want to talk about that stuff… but, my agent, Cade, would talk to the team GMs, and they would work it out.”
According to On3, Pribula’s market value reportedly commanded him a gaudy, $1.5 million NIL deal ahead of the 2025 campaign.
“I was like, ‘That’s good, I’ll take it,’” Pribula told me with a smile. “I’ll play football for free, I love it… Getting paid at all to play football? I mean, it’s awesome.”
Since arriving in Columbia ahead of winter workouts, Pribula has put all off-field distractions — including transfer portal talk and NIL monetization — to the side.
In his estimation, he’s endured the most productive offseason of his career and can’t wait to take the SEC by storm this fall.
“I got there in mid-January,” he said. “I was so locked in… Nothing mattered to me more than being the best I can be and being the best quarterback for this team this year. I got two years left, and I want to have no regrets.”
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3️⃣ Tune Out The Noise
When Pribula decided to transfer ahead of the Nittany Lions’ first-round playoff date with SMU, the story became the center of college football’s media universe until game time.
From Joel Klatt to Josh Pate to Paul Finebaum, everybody seemed to be discussing Pribula’s scenario in debate-styled segments.
Pundits argued whether his decision was a move rooted in selfishness, while others clapped back and said the NCAA’s portal timing must be fixed.
Amid the wave of chaotic noise, James Franklin sounded off in Pribula’s defense.
“Beau Pribula has been a phenomenal teammate,” Franklin said in December. “… He prepared like a starter every week… I can give you my word – Beau Pribula did not want to leave our program until the end of the season.”
While Pribula certainly didn’t ask to be in the spotlight, he learned a valuable lesson.
“Don’t worry about what anybody else says,” Pribula said. “Believe in yourself and have confidence in yourself. Like, if I were talking to my 18-year-old self, I’d be like, ‘You don’t have enough confidence. You’re good at this sport, just believe in yourself.’”
After finding solace at Missouri, the scrapy Pennsylvanian has been able to focus solely on football. And, he couldn’t be more at peace with his current trajectory.
“If my younger self could see where I’m at today, he’d be pretty proud,” Pribula said. “But, you know, I want to make him really proud. That’s, really, why I do what I do.”
To watch my entire conversation with Pribula, click here.
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email at adam@brenemanmedia.com.
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Shoutout to Connor Krause for helping to write this newsletter and putting it together!
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