Penn State Football Stock Up, Stock Down Report: Is Rocco Becht 'Elite'?

Several Nittany Lions are surging in camp, but consistency at practice remains an issue.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht talks with reporters during football media day in Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State is nearly through a long, chaotic and tough offseason. It included a head-coaching change, an overhaul of more than half the roster and numerous injuries that have made this one of the funkiest offseasons for the Nittany Lions in recent memory. 

Though it’s almost over — Penn State opens the season Sept. 5 against Marshall at Beaver Stadium — head coach Matt Campbell and company still have room to improve. 

Where are the biggest areas of growth for Penn State? And what have the Nittany Lions done the best to improve since the spring? Here’s what we’re learning about Penn State as the countdown to the 2026 continues.

Stock up: Quarterback Rocco Becht looks "elite"

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht participates during a practice session inside Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Becht, entering his fourth year as a starting FBS quarterback, will fight the "low ceiling" judgement this year. However, Campbell said that Becht has been playing at an “elite clip” during training camp, a huge boost of confidence for the offense. Part of that has come with improved footwork.

Quarterbacks coach Jake Waters said in the spring that footwork was one of the most important areas in which Becht needed to grow. He’s been working on it every day and has made “tremendous growth” with it, Waters said. 

“There are still times here and there with every quarterback, especially when you get a rush and you got O-line, D-line there, but his accuracy so far this camp is the best I've seen out of Rocco,” Waters said. “I mean, his feet are the best I've seen. He's efficient. He's not wasting steps. He knows the timing of everything, and that helps too.”

Stock down: Consistency remains an issue 

Penn State Nittany Lions football head coach Matt Campbell jogs at the start of a practice session inside Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Campbell has preached consistency as the next step for many of his players over the last few weeks. He did it again Thursday after practice. 

“Every day, why we’re continuing to pound away with the value of consistency and playing to a standard of excellence, that’s what 60 minutes of game brings you,” Campbell said. “Those things we have grown in. [That’s] why it’s so critical every single day we’re here [to ask], ‘Who’s got the maturity, who’s got the mental fortitude to do that and if they don’t, how do we help them gain that so we can be at our best as the season goes?’”

Consistency continues to be the primary issue for several players, including receivers Chase Sowell and Koby Howard and left tackle Malachi Goodman. Running backs coach Savon Huggins was in the same boat, specifically about his position group.

He said that’s the main thing he’s looking for as the Nittany Lions enter the last week of fall camp.

“That was the thing I said this morning in our meeting: Close your gaps,” Huggins said. “What exactly is the gap that you need to close? So [it could be] pad level for one guy, and working on consistently having his eyes in the right place in pass protection.

“So right now, it's just being consistent. [It’s] the most important thing because they've all been able to pass protect pretty well. Some better than others, but I think ultimately it’s, who can be the most consistent day in and day out, even despite a little hiccup here and there, or you get a little dinged up. Well, how are you going to practice the next day?”

Further, consistency will determine the depth chart at running back. 

“Who can be the most consistent, take care of the ball, and be reliable in pass protection?”Huggins asked. “Like I told all the guys, ‘Y'all make the depth chart, not me, right?’ So you just go out there and be consistent every day.”

Becht also said the offense needs to improve its consistency over the final two weeks.  

“You're not going to have a practice where everything's going to be perfect, because that's just life,” Becht said. “And so I think continuing to be consistent in what we're doing and learning from the mistakes and don't make them again. That's probably our biggest thing right now that we have to be able to continue to do to be prepared for the season.” 

Stock up: Running back Quinton Martin Jr. takes another step

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Quinton Martin carries the ball against the Clemson Tigers during the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the most valuable traits a running back can possess is excelling in pass protection. Huggins said that all four backs (Carson Hansen, James Peoples, Quinton Martin Jr., Cam Wallace) have been good at it, which means they all might get some run on passing downs. 

Martin, a redshirt sophomore in his third season at Penn State, has grown the most in pass protection since the spring, Huggins said. The running back also has been taking better care of his body, specifically in holding weight. Campbell said that Martin, who played around 200 pounds, has maintained is weight at around 215 during camp.

“He has grown in playing with lower pad level,” Huggins said. “Q has the ability to be a home-run threat. Like Q can run, run, and you see Q run between those tackles a lot better than he has.

“That was one of the things: ‘Hey, I want to run better between the tackles.’ Well, every run isn't going to be wide open. You’ve got to have those dirty yards, and he's grown in that area of his game.”

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