Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545675
3 4 A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 / / / / / / / 2 0 2 6 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / E mbarking on a new challenge last December as Penn State's head coach, Matt Campbell initially brought with him the core staff- ers who would help shape the program moving forward. Coaches and front of- fice personnel alike already understood the characteristics and objectives that would define the Nittany Lion football program under Campbell's leadership. On the field, though, Campbell wanted the same. An extension of the philosophies and culture on which Penn State could build, Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht per- sonified that vision. And after spending the previous four seasons with Campbell — including a run to the Big 12 champi- onship game in 2024 — Becht headed east for his redshirt senior season, giving a major boost to the coach's reconstruc- tion project. "As the head football coach, you want to always have a quarterback that sees leadership, sees serving the program, the way you see it. That guy should be a branch of who you are and how you see the program being run," Campbell told podcaster Adam Breneman this spring. "Rocco has been the epitome of that over our time together at Iowa State. "I know the type of player he is — his leadership, his excellence. I don't know if anybody gave their team more opportu- nities to win football games than Rocco Becht gave Iowa State football the last three years." Finding ways to win games in critical moments — both through his individual performance and the influence of his leadership on those around him — Becht inspired trust within Iowa State's locker room. As a starter beginning with the 2023 season, he helped guide the Cyclones to a 26-13 record over three campaigns. The stretch included a Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year nod in 2023 and honorable mention all-conference status in 2024. In statistical terms, the performance was both efficient and explosive. Becht made the most of a dynamic pair of re- ceivers in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, with the two future pros combining to catch 167 passes for 2,377 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2024. Complementing their passing attack with a talented run- ning back duo featuring Abu Sama and Carson Hansen, the Cyclones excelled on offense. Becht completed 271 of 456 passes for 3,505 yards and 25 touch- downs while adding 318 yards and 8 scores as a runner. More notably, though, Campbell said Becht in- spired a level of belief and loyalty uncommon even across the coach's lengthy career. "I don't know if I've seen a locker room that's been so willing to fight for the quarterback [like it did for] Rocco, because of his humility and his character and selflessness," Campbell said. "When you talk about Penn State football, and you think about the excel- lence here, I couldn't think of a greater human to come in and take those lead- ership reins and give back to everybody else in this facility through player-driven leadership and what you want the best players to look like and act like. We're really fortunate that happened." Always Positive Many of the veterans expected to play key roles for Penn State this season al- ready know the kind of leadership Becht embodies. For the 24 transfers who fol- lowed Campbell from Iowa State, those traits were already familiar. W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Keystone Keystone Quarterback Quarterback Rocco Becht's charismatic leadership helps unify a revamped Penn State offense NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M A redshirt senior, Becht is set to become Penn State's first one-year starter at quarterback since 2005, when Michael Robinson led the Lions to an 11-1 finish. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS