Penn State backup QB Pribula is becoming a big problem for the Badgers

MADISON — Beau Pribula taking the field after halftime for Penn State would normally be a promising omen for Wisconsin football.

The redshirt-sophomore quarterback's presence suggested the night was likely over for Nittany Lions starter Drew Allar, who was turned over on a sack late in the first half by Jake Chaney on Saturday night and ahead of the rest the team had returned to the locker room. With a brace in his knee, Allar attempted to warm up on the Camp Randall Stadium sideline after halftime, but eventually turned to coach James Franklin and removed his helmet.

Allar's efficiency (14 for 18, with one pass dropped that would have been a big gain) was one of the key details of the first half, even as Wisconsin took a 10-7 lead into the locker room.

Pribula has seen the field in seven games this year and has already had two touchdown passes on the night. He added another goal against Wisconsin, part of an 11-for-13 performance, and he also introduced greater agility that seemed to rattle Wisconsin's stout defense.

“He added a whole different element with his legs,” Badgers safety Hunter Wohler said. “He’s a really good athlete. Once it comes into play, you have to add something extra to it. He's a really good athlete and he's managed to come out in some areas and give them some big plays.”

Although the Nittany Lions will have to wait to see Allar's availability going forward, Pribula emerged from the game as the spark for Happy Valley, leading Penn State to a 28-13 win.

“I don’t know if we knew that was going to be the case at the start of the half,” Badgers coach Luke Fickell said of the quarterback change. “In some ways, he's a guy that plays four, five, six, eight snaps a game, sometimes just wide receiver, sometimes with two quarterbacks. So you had a little bit of preparation when he was in the ball game… As much as you have to prepare for so many things, when he actually goes into the game it's going to be a little bit different. That caused us some problems.

“It’s twofold,” Fickell added. “You give them credit for having a plan when he's in there, and I don't think we did a good enough job of making sure we understood what he was going to do. He also threw the football pretty damn well.” He made some really great plays in the second half.

The early returns with Pribula under center were promising for UW: A drive that ended with a fourth down attempt was aborted after a false start and another three-and-out, plagued by a delay of game penalty. But Wisconsin's offense also went out three times during the drive in between, and Braedyn Locke's pick-6 to Penn State's Jaylen Reed meant Pribula's team was able to take the lead despite the early struggles.

Then came a 13-play drive that covered 81 yards and ended with Pribula's third-down touchdown pass to Khalil Dinkins. Penn State's lead was 21-13, and what was worse, Pribula had gotten comfortable.

“It's definitely a different scheme that they're playing against the starter with him at quarterback,” UW defensive tackle Elijah Hills said. “We didn’t know (there would be a change) until we came out and saw No. 9 warming up. We knew the starting quarterback was a little banged up, but we didn’t know how bad it was.”

“We knew even if there were two quarterbacks in the game, we knew he would probably run a little bit if there were 9 in the game,” cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean said. “I think our game plan stayed the same just because we knew that. “He wanted to do a lot more sprints, maybe bike routes and things like that.”

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