Another quarterback with Power Four roots is heading to HBCU football. Former Penn State signal-caller Bekkem Kritza announced Monday that he will continue his college career at Alabama A&M, making a move that reflects how roster paths are changing in the modern NCAA Transfer Portal era.
Once a three-star recruit and the lone quarterback signee in Penn State’s 2023 class, Kritza now heads to the FCS ranks with four years of eligibility still ahead of him.
It’s the latest example of how HBCU football has become part of the broader college football ecosystem — not separate from it.
From Penn State to a New Opportunity
Kritza arrived in Happy Valley as a developmental quarterback with tools that intrigued the staff. Standing 6-foot-5 and 199 pounds, he joined the program ranked as the No. 51 quarterback nationally by the 247Sports Composite.
Penn State officials didn’t hide their belief in his upside.
“I think that kid is unbelievable,” director of player personnel Kenny Sanders said on signing day. “He might have the best raw arm talent I’ve ever seen coming out of high school.”
Still, Kritza never saw game action as a true freshman. Like many young quarterbacks at the Power Four level, he spent the season developing behind the scenes while navigating a crowded depth chart.
In December 2025, he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Alabama A&M Enters the Picture
Alabama A&M now becomes the next stop in Kritza’s journey.
The Bulldogs add a quarterback with size, arm strength, and eligibility remaining. Kritza will play his redshirt freshman season in Huntsville, where competition and opportunity tend to intersect more quickly than they do in stacked Power Four rooms.
247Sports rated him as a three-star transfer and the No. 90 quarterback available in the portal.
A Background That Matches the Moment
Kritza’s high school football résumé includes stops across Colorado, California, and Florida, along with strong production when settled into a role.
As a freshman at Fairview High School in Colorado, Bekkem Kritza threw for 3,192 yards and 22 touchdowns. After limited action as a sophomore in California, he returned to Fairview and posted 1,747 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior, completing better than 65 percent of his passes.
The numbers, combined with his frame and arm talent, earned him Power Four attention. Kritza held offers from programs such as Washington, Texas A&M, and Miami before choosing Penn State.
HBCUs and the Portal Era
Moves like this are becoming more common — especially at quarterback.
As Power Four programs stack talent year after year, young quarterbacks often face longer waits to see the field. At the same time, HBCU programs have become legitimate landing spots for players with high-level recruiting backgrounds seeking a better chance to get on the field.
Sometimes that path leads to long-term success in HBCU football. Other times, it opens doors elsewhere down the line. Either way, the opportunity to play, develop, and be evaluated has shifted.
What Comes Next
Kritza arrives at Alabama A&M without a single college snap but with upside, eligibility, and a chance to compete. For the Bulldogs, it’s an addition that brings Power Four level physical traits and pedigree into the quarterback room.
For Bekkem Kritza, it’s a new chapter — one that reflects how fluid college football careers have become in the transfer-portal era.
At a position where timing matters as much as talent, the next reps will tell the story.