Former Iowa State Cyclones Star Will Be Perfect Fit With Penn State Nittany Lions

A former star for the Iowa State Cyclones is going to be a perfect fit with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Dec 8, 2025; University Park, PA, USA; Matt Campbell answers questions from the media after being announced as the Penn State Nittany Lions new head coach during a press conference at the Beaver Stadium Press Room. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are starting to take shape for the 2026 season, but this is a team that is going to be looking a lot different than it has in years past. 

After a fairly successful 2025 season, the Cyclones saw their head coach of 10 years get poached by the Penn State Nittany Lions. Over the course of his career with Iowa State, Matt Campbell was able to completely transform the school and the football program. 

Notoriously, the Cyclones have not been known for their football team. However, in 2024, they played for a Big 12 Championship, and they have been a fairly consistent program since he took over. 

Now, it will be a new era starting with Jimmy Rogers. The young coach is undoubtedly hungry to prove himself. Unfortunately, he won’t have many of the top players from the 2025 team to lean on for that transition. As expected, many of the Cyclones’ top players have followed Campbell to Penn State. 

Tom Luginbill of ESPN recently wrote about the top fits in the transfer portal, and unfortunately, former Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht going to Penn State was one of them. 

Becht Will Likely Thrive

William Purnell-Imagn Images

With Campbell taking over at Penn State, expectations are going to be at another level compared to what they were with the Cyclones. This was a team that was one of the best in the Big 10 year after year under James Franklin but struggled to win the big games. 

While he should have some time to build the program, coming in with a lot of his own talent and players that he is familiar with should help him transition. In terms of the quarterback position, bringing over Becht is a big plus for Campbell. 

The junior quarterback might not have had the best campaign in 2025 because of injuries, but he is a multi-year starter and will be bringing over a plethora of experience. Furthermore, with most of the offensive coaching staff following Campbell to Penn State, Becht should be primed for a great year. 

For the Cyclones, losing their starter for multiple years is a massive blow to the team, but the pivot Rogers and his staff made was a good one. There is a lot to like about Jaylen Raynor and what he might be able to accomplish with the program. He is a player who has improved every season but will be taking a step up in competition. 

Becht certainly will be missed at Iowa State, but he will be going down as one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the program.