Photo courtesy of SHANE BREON
Penn State quarterback Beau Pribula (left) is pictured with Mifflin County head football coach Shane Breon when the two were part of Central York High School’s program.

UNIVERSITY PARK — In 1989, Nike unveiled a now-famous advertising campaign for its cross-training shoes that featured professional baseball and football player Bo Jackson. The popular theme was “Bo Knows.”

The original “Bo Knows” ad featured TV commercials with Jackson playing baseball and fellow Major Leaguer Kirk Gibson saying, “Bo knows baseball.”

The next scene put Jackson on the gridiron, with quarterback Jim Everett explaining, “Bo knows baseball.” Jackson goes on to play basketball, tennis, ice hockey and running with other sports celebrities. The ad concludes with Jackson trying to play the guitar – and failing miserably – leading blues legend Bo Diddley to remark, “Bo, you don’t know Diddley!”

Later, Jackson tries his hand at cycling, soccer, cricket … well, you get the picture.

At any rate, after the third-ranked Nittany Lions rallied for a road victory at Wisconsin last week, Nike might think about bringing those ads out of retirement for a new “Beau Knows,” featuring backup quarterback Beau Pribula.

Called off the bench to start the second half for Drew Allar, who sustained an injury just before halftime, the 6-2 Pribula, a redshirt sophomore, helped to save Penn State’s undefeated season with the 28-13 win.

“Just walking off this field with a ‘W.’ I didn’t want to let my teammates down,” Pribula told a national television audience. “We work too hard to give up something like that.”

Pribula might get the call again today as the Nittany Lions host No. 4 Ohio State at Beaver Stadium. Allar is considered a game-time decision.

Pribula hails from York, roughly a two-hour drive from Penn State’s campus. He attended high school at Central York High School, where he led the Panthers to their first state championship appearance and Pennsylvania District 3 crown.

He led Central York to back-to-back undefeated regular seasons as a junior and a senior and was named the state’s Player of the Year each of those seasons.

Pribula comes from a well-versed football family, and one that is filled with quarterbacks. Per his Penn State profile, his dad, Tad, played at Shippensburg, while his brother, Cade, was a quarterback at Sacred Heart. His uncle, Barry Rahn, was a quarterback at USC in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

But perhaps the most well-known member of Pribula’s football family tree is his grandfather, Jim, who was an All-American at West Chester from 1958 to 1962.

Last season, in a backup role, Pribula saw his first action at Penn State after redshirting his true freshman year. Though he was in a backup role, Pribula still finished third among Big Ten quarterbacks with 329 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

He recorded his third touchdown pass of the season on Saturday against Wisconsin, when he connected with Khalil Dinkins for a 1-yard pass at the goal line.

“He’s a winner. He accepts his role, battling every week to be the starting quarterback. He makes plays with his feet and his mind and his arms,” Franklin said last week. “I couldn’t be more proud of him. A big-time player and he’s unselfish in a time in college football that a lot of guys are selfish.”

Mifflin County head coach Shane Breon is also well aware of Pribula’s talents and served as Central York’s offensive coordinator.

“He would tell me if he didn’t like anything we would game plan,” recalled Breon, who coached Pribula during the 2020 and 2021 high school football seasons.

“But anything we put in new he would be ready to run it on Monday,” Breon added. “He picked up the new offense quickly over the spring and summer that COVID year and worked with Coach (Gerry) Yonchiuk on the finer aspects of QB play on the air raid as far as read progressions.”

Breon called Pribula the ultimate leader on and off the field. “First one in last one out of workouts or practice.” He explained. “I have never seen a team where everyone respected someone like those kids respected Beau. If anyone took a shot at Beau, his teammates responded. Beau treated them all the same – as friends and would help anyone. When Beau talked everyone listened.”

At the same time, Pribula didn’t let the success go to his head.

“Most humble, down to earth H.S. superstar there can ever be,” Breon said. “He would stay on the field after games to sign autographs for little kids – kids from opposing schools at away games.”

According to Breon, Pribula was not only the star player but also the hardest worker. “His work ethic was infectious and whenever your best players are your hardest workers you have the chance to have a special team,” Breon added.

That might put Pribula behind center for the Nittany Lions’ biggest games in recent memory.