Ethan Grunkemeyer
{{Infobox college football player
| name = Ethan Grunkemeyer
| image =
| caption =
| school = Penn State Nittany Lions
| pastschools = Penn State (2024–present)
| currentnumber = 17
| position = Quarterback
| class = {{redshirt}} Freshman
| major =
| bowlgames =
| highschool = Olentangy
(Lewis Center, Ohio)
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
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| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 203
| highlights =
}}
Ethan McCabe Grunkemeyer is an American football quarterback for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Early life
McCabe grew up in Lewis Center, Ohio, and started playing several sports from a young age, including flag football starting at three.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.today/20250214184344/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5150588/2023/12/20/ethan-grunkemeyer-penn-state-football-recruiting/|newspaper=The Athletic|title=Ethan Grunkemeyer’s path to Penn State football: How the blue-chip QB earned his accolades|date=December 20, 2023|author=Snyder, Audrey|via=archive.today}} He attended Olentangy High School where he played football and basketball, being a quarterback in football.{{Cite web|url=https://gopsusports.com/sports/football/roster/player/ethan-grunkemeyer|publisher=Penn State Nittany Lions|title=Ethan Grunkemeyer}} He was backup quarterback as a freshman and then became starter as a sophomore in 2021, throwing for 2,152 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2023/10/12/olentangy-quarterback-ethan-grunkemeyer-penn-state-commit/71051642007/|newspaper=The Commercial Dispatch|title=Strive for perfection': Penn State getting meticulous QB in Olentangy's Ethan Grunkemeyer|author=Purpura, Dave|date=October 12, 2023}} He then threw for 2,649 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.today/20250214191925/https://community.triblive.com/news/ffdc6b0d3425f2c4c50d0d50b8fd98e0|newspaper=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|via=archive.today|title=QB signee Ethan Grunkemeyer follows similar path to Penn State as Drew Allar|date=December 25, 2023}}
In his senior year, Grunkemeyer helped Olentangy compile a record of 11–2 while throwing for 3,517 yards and 39 touchdowns, being chosen first-team all-state.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/college/penn-state/2024/12/19/what-to-know-about-penn-state-football-quarterback-ethan-grunkemeyer/77067479007/|newspaper=York Daily Record|title=The new No. 2 Penn State football quarterback: What to know about Ethan Grunkemeyer|author=Bodani, Frank|date=December 19, 2024}} He was also named first-team all-conference, first-team all-district, the conference co-offensive player of the year and the county offensive player of the year. Grunkemeyer was invited to the Elite 11 finals and the Under Armour All-America Game.{{Cite news|url=https://nittanylionswire.usatoday.com/2023/06/16/penn-state-commit-grunkemeyer-was-solid-at-elite11-finals/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Penn State commit Grunkemeyer was solid at Elite 11 finals|date=June 16, 2023|author=McGuire, Kevin}}{{Cite news|url=https://nittanylionswire.usatoday.com/2023/07/13/penn-state-qb-commit-receives-invite-to-under-armour-all-american-game/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Penn State QB commit receives invite to Under Armour All-American Game|date=July 13, 2023|author=McGuire, Kevin}} He finished as the Olentangy career record-holder for both passing yards and passing touchdowns, while he also set single-season records at Olentangy in those categories.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/citizens-voice/165474570/|newspaper=Citizens' Voice|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 31, 2024|page=B4|title=Grunkemeyer describes his first snaps as surreal|author=Scarcella, Rich}} {{Open access}}
Grunkemeyer was initially lightly recruited, having no offers as he started his junior year and only one (Miami of Ohio) by the end of it. However, interest surged over the summer of his senior year and he began receiving offers from many major programs. He rose from being a three-star recruit to a four-star recruit and finished his tenure at Olentangy being ranked the 85th-best player nationally and the fifth-best quarterback by ESPN.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.today/20250214191844/https://www.centredaily.com/sports/college/penn-state-university/psu-football/article280749950.html|newspaper=Centre Daily Times|via=archive.today|title=4-star QB Ethan Grunkemeyer’s Penn State career begins soon. He already has the 1-0 mentality |author=Sauber, Jon|date=October 19, 2023}} He committed to play college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
College career
Grunkemeyer entered his true freshman season at Penn State as the third-string quarterback, behind Drew Allar and Beau Pribula, and redshirted.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.today/20241217154632/https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2024/12/one-of-the-highest-ceilings-ive-seen-what-penn-state-has-in-freshman-qb-ethan-grunkemeyer-likely-the-new-no-2.html?outputType=amp|website=PennLive.com|via=archive.today|title='One of the highest ceilings I've seen:' What Penn State has in freshman QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, likely the new No. 2|author=Ralph, Max|date=December 17, 2024}} In December, after Pribula entered the transfer portal, Grunkemeyer was promoted to being Allar's backup.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sungazette.com/sports/local-sports/2024/12/ethan-grunkemeyer-promoted-to-backup/|newspaper=Williamsport Sun-Gazette|title=Ethan Grunkemeyer promoted to backup|author=Rudel, Neil|date=December 31, 2024}} He made his debut in the team's first round playoff game against the SMU Mustangs, completing one of two pass attempts for nine yards with an interception.{{Cite news|url=https://community.triblive.com/news/3700041|newspaper=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|title=Despite shaky debut vs. SMU, Penn State freshman QB Ethan Grunkemeyer 'handled it well'|date=December 24, 2024}} He is set to be Penn State's backup in 2025 under Allar.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.today/20250214200604/https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2025/02/what-penn-state-qb-ethan-grunkemeyer-learned-from-drew-allar-cfp-experience.html?outputType=amp|website=PennLive.com|via=archive.today|title=What Penn State QB Ethan Grunkemeyer learned from Drew Allar, CFP experience|author=McGonigal, Johnny|date=February 14, 2025}}