How Rocco Becht Quickly Became Leader of the New Penn State Football Team

Despite being limited at practice, the quarterback established himself as the on-field voice of the Nittany Lions.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht looks to throw a pass on the run during the Blue-White Spring Practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

During Penn State's final practice of the spring, Athletic Director Pat Kraft stood behind Beaver Stadium's South end zone wearing a Rocco Becht logo hat. The Penn State quarterback gifted the hat to Kraft to say thanks and "to represent."

"I appreciate that guy for everything he’s done for me and for this team," Becht said.

Clearly, this clearly has become Becht's team, even just four months into his time at Penn State. The nation's most experienced returning FBS quarterback largely has done what head coach Matt Campbell wanted: Take the lead of an offense and a locker room that needed a voice to help process all that change.

That was the center of Becht's approach to spring practice, which Penn State capped last Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Though he didn't do any live 11-on-11 work, Becht looked confident and comfortable throwing through drills, giving on-field direction and guiding Penn State's young quarterbacks. That Becht got as much work as he did this spring was critical.

"I thought it was huge that he was able to get the reps he had," Campbell said of Becht. "I probably would have been really nervous had Rocco not been able to get the reps that he got through the spring."

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback coach Jake Waters talks with quarterback Rocco Becht during the Blue-White Spring Practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Becht arrived at Penn State in January as the de facto starting quarterback with one caveat: He brought a rehab program after having surgery last December to repair a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. Campbell said that Becht played through the injury during the later part of Iowa State's season.

Initially, Penn State didn't expect much from Becht this spring. Campbell and quarterbacks coach Jake Waters anticipated that Becht would get into 7-on-7 drills by the second half of spring practice. However, Becht was throwing during the first week of spring. In fact, during an open practice in late March (Penn State's second), Becht threw almost every period of individual drills.

"I would say my spring went really good," Becht said after the final practice. "In the beginning I wasn't able to do a lot on the field, so I think building that chemistry in the film room and being a leader on and off the field for me was a huge step. I thought I had a good spring to develop in that way, develop in the offense, learn more of the protections, learn the run game, and I think I did a really good job of that."

Becht and Campbell are so uniquely tied together through their time at Iowa State that Campbell made the quarterback a transfer priority upon taking the Penn State job.

"The head coach and the quarterback, they’d better be linked at the hip, because I feel like the quarterback has got to have the leadership ability, the toughness and the grit to control the locker room," Campbell said. "I think you’re always looking for the right intangibles that way. Everybody likes fast, everybody likes arm strength, but those things don’t win. What wins is grit, toughness, character and the ability to lead others around. The locker room always know who the quarterback should be."

Offensive lineman Cooper Cousins said Penn State knew that this spring.

"Every leader has to be vocal, and he really knows how to get us all together," Cousins said. "Even when stuff’s going bad, that’s where he’s best at: getting us all together, really calming the team down, the offense down, really hearing us out."

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht reacts during the Blue-White Spring Practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Becht said he has quickly grown comfortable at Penn State, a process helped by those who joined him. A total of 24 Iowa State players transferred to Penn State, and Becht is still working with his former head coach, offensive coordinator (Taylor Mouser) and quarterbacks coach.

Nevertheless, Becht learned to tread lightly during his first few weeks on campus. Assistant head coach Terry Smith helped smooth that process. Smith was the coach of Becht's leadership team, a concept that Campbell introduced in January. In fact, Becht said he chose Smith specifically to learn from him.

"The knowledge that he brings, not just to the cornerbacks but to everybody in the program, the way he talks, the way he walks, the way he presents himself in public, it's something that all of us should take a look at and follow," Becht said. "I appreciate that guy so much for what he’s done for the program and what he continues to do for us."

"In the beginning it’s hard," Becht added about the overall transition. "You have to adapt to the Penn State players that stayed, what they're teaching, what they're preaching. We sat back and followed their lead. We’re one team, we’re Penn State now. I’m excited to call each other Penn State and not call each other Iowa State transfers anymore."

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