Penn State Gets a 'Monumental Win' at Quarterback Late This Spring

Matt Campbell breaks down the quarterback room's depth and progress as the Nittany Lions conclude spring drills.

Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell meets the media in the Lasch Football Building. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State On SI

Penn State's new quarterbacks room got off to an unconventional start this spring, with a Division III transfer getting most of the live reps while the projected starter and backup continued their rehabs. Still, Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell said the position is on track to be healthy and ready for training camp in August.

"Interesting right now, to say the least," Campbell said Tuesday in State College of the team's depth at quarterback. "... By the time we get to fall camp, we should be a lot better [in the] quarterback room than maybe what we were throughout the spring."

A lot has happened at quarterback for Penn State this spring, and fans will get a partial look at the group Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Campbell said that starter Rocco Becht, who spent spring drills working to "recondition" his throwing arm, will get some reps during the team's open practice to conclude spring drills.

Almost as importantly, Campbell said that redshirt freshman Alex Manske, the projected QB2, has returned to the team after spending the majority of spring practice at home in Iowa rehabbing from an undisclosed offseason procedure. Though Manske won't practice Saturday, Campbell called his return "huge."

"[It's] a monumental win for us," Campbell said, "and I think certainly [Manske is] trending toward where we would want him to be by the time we get to the summer so he can progress his way back."

Rocco Becht, Alex Manske improving

Penn State's Matt Campbell was asked about the team's QB depth as spring drills near an end.

"Interesting right now, to say the least," Campbell began.

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— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) April 21, 2026

Penn State's five scholarship quarterbacks are brand new to the program. Campbell consistently has been positive about Becht's return from surgery to his left (non-throwing) shoulder last December. Becht threw in Beaver Stadium for the first time last Saturday during the team's first practice there and continues to work ahead of pace on his rehab schedule. He'll throw again during this weekend's open practice.

"Obviously the biggest thing that's been a positive is Rocco getting healthy and having the ability [to practice]," Campbell said. "You'll see him on Saturday in 7-on-7 [drills] ... because I want him to throw the football in this stadium obviously with our fans and everybody else out there. I think that's really important. I think he's made really great strides to being back."

Manske, who was the Big 12's highest-rated recruit as a member of Iowa State's 2025 class, missed spring drills for the second consecutive year. However, quarterbacks coach Jake Waters said that Manske made strides during his first fall with the Cyclones, when he appeared in three games and completed 4 of 5 passes.

"His growth that he made in fall camp and last year was incredible," Waters said. "He just needs to get more reps and go, because he's got all the talent that you want. He's tough. He can run. He's not scared of contact. We used him in a little quarterback run and things like that last year, but he’s a guy that has all the tools and he just needs to keep working."

Connor Barry makes 'great strides'

Penn State opened practice No. 2 today, offering a look at Matt Campbell’s operation. Quick look at the QBs, led by Rocco Becht. pic.twitter.com/Vg1Fh9i2r1

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The benefactor of those limits to Becht and Manske has been redshirt senior Connor Barry, who played four seasons at Division III Christopher Newport in Virginia before transferring to Penn State. Barry last season became Christopher Newport's first semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, awarded to the nation's top Division III football player, and has faced a learning curve at Penn State.

But Campbell and Waters have called Barry one of their favorite stories of spring drills. Barry has taken the majority of the live reps during scrimmage work and threw in Beaver Stadium even before last Saturday, using the program's VR headsets.

"If you said, 'Whose the guy who's got the bulk of first-team reps or second-team reps and really made great strides,' it’s been Connor," Campbell said. "[He's] kind of a guy who came out of nowhere a little bit for us. I’ve ben really proud of what you would expect [from] a guy who’s played college football, a guy that has been in the room, that has had to be the guy. I think there’s been great growth."

A look at the freshmen

Penn State quarterback commit Peyton Falzone of Nazareth (Pa.) High at his Signing Day ceremony with Penn State and Nazareth helmets. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

Peyton Falzone and Kase Evans, Penn State's true freshman quarterbacks, expectedly have looked like first-year players this spring, Campbell said. Both quarterbacks enrolled early and pressed an accelerated timeline by getting more reps in spring practice then they expected.

"On the other side of it, there’s a lot of youth, and I think that youth has had youthful days," Campbell said. "There’s been youthful moments, which that's what you’re going to get from quarterbacks who should still probably be in high school. But those guys also have grown and will need to continue to know grow forward."

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