Coach Terry Smith touts Ethan Grunkemeyer as Penn State's 'quarterback for the future'

Navigating your way through a three-game stretch against Iowa (road), No. 1 Ohio State (road) and No. 2 Indiana (home) would be difficult for an established quarterback.

Attempting to do it in your first three career starts? Three words sum up that task: Baptism by fire.

Penn State redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer survived his three-game test against the Hawkeyes, Buckeyes and Hoosiers.

For most of the second half against Curt Cignetti’s talented defense, Grunkemeyer thrived.

The 6-foot-2, 207-pound QB threw an interception on the Penn State offense’s second play of the third quarter, a miscue the Hoosiers converted into a field goal to make it 20-7, IU.

Grunkemeyer, the starter after Drew Allar suffered a season-ending injury against Northwestern last month, responded with a terrific effort from there.

He completed 13 of 18 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown as the Lions rallied to take a 24-20 lead late in the fourth quarter.

Indiana would respond, though, scoring a touchdown with 36 seconds left to win 27-24.

But Grunkemeyer’s performance — he finished 22 of 31 for 219 yards and a touchdown — was not lost on PSU interim head coach Terry Smith.

“I thought Ethan was big time in the second half,” Smith said Monday as the Lions (3-6, 0-6) begin preparations for a Big Ten road matchup with Michigan State (3-6, 0-6) on Saturday in East Lansing.

“When you look at the adversity coming out of the half, he threw the interception. He could have easily hung his head at that point. He battled back; he made some big throws.

“We started to throw the ball down the field, and he gave us a chance.”

Following the interception, “Grunk” teamed up with wideout Trebor Pena for completions of 21 and 20 yards, and he connected with wideout Koby Howard on a 22-yard throw.

Trailing 20-17 in the fourth quarter, Grunkemeyer and running back Nick Singleton combined on a 19-yad touchdown pass with 6:27 left.

“I thought (Grunkemeyer’s) growth continues to get better,” Smith said.

“We have a quarterback for the future. We’re going to continue to develop (him) and push the ball down the field and give him opportunities to make plays.

“We have to clean up a couple things. A couple of the screens, we want to get the ball out in front as opposed to on the back hip. Just make it a little easier, catch-and-run type situations. Those are things we’ll clean up in practice.”

Smith added: “I thought (Grunkemeyer) grew up, big time, in the second half.”