Why Penn State's Matt Campbell Won't Replace Quarterback Rocco Becht

The Nittany Lions coach assessed both Becht and backup Alex Manske during the bye week.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) throws a pass during the first quarter against the USC Trojans at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State football coach Matt Campbell defended quarterback Rocco Becht on Tuesday, saying the fifth-year senior remains his starter despite a three-turnover performance against Michigan. At his only media availability during Penn State's bye week, Campbell also indicate that backup quarterback Alex Manske isn't ready to become the starter.

"We have complete faith in Rocco Becht," Campbell said after practice Tuesday in State College. "Rocco has continued to obviously play good football, and there’s times and there’s a couple moments that he would love to have back. That’s part of the game.

"Right now, we’re at a point where our margin of error is really thin, and from a coordinator standpoint, from a head coach standpoint, from a player standpoint, that razor-thin margin is what you’re really putting all your time and effort into making sure we fill that gap.

"From Alex’s standpoint, we have great belief that he’s going to have a bright future. His time will come, and when that time comes, we’ll be excited for that opportunity. But obviously that time is not right now."

Becht committed three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) that Michigan turned into all 21 of their points in a weekend win over Penn State. In Penn State's four Big Ten losses, Becht has completed 59.6 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and five interceptions. His conference-play quarterback rating of 112.05 ranks 14th among Big Ten quarterbacks.

After the Michigan game, Campbell said he didn't consider pulling Becht for Manske Wolverines and reiterated that point Tuesday.

"I would tell you, and I firmly believe this, we wouldn’t even be in the position where we’re at to succeed in these football games if we didn’t have Rocco Becht and the way he has played in some of those other moments," Campbell said. "Yes, we’ve got to continue to pound away at the negative, but I think there’s a lot of positive right now.

"And obviously in the position he plays, it’s no different than all of us. You look at the negative because you’re not getting the result that you want. But I would say that there’s a lot of things that Rocco is doing really well, putting us in a great position to be successful."

Alex Manske's development since spring

Penn State coach Matt Campbell on QB Alex Manske's two-year journey through elbow surgery, heart surgery and his return to football.

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Manske played 45 snaps in Penn State's three non-conference games, going 9-for-14 for 102 yards. Penn State planned an offensive series for him against Wisconsin but decided against it after a false-start penalty on first down. Those snaps represented the most playing time of a career that has been affected by injuries and a serious medical issue.

On March 16, about a week before Penn State began spring drills, Manske underwent open-heart surgery to repair a dilated aortic root and dilated ascending aorta. He missed spring drills entirely following the procedure at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and did not begin throwing again until mid-June.

Manske was cleared to resume football activities in early July but was not hit during training camp, along with Becht and the other quarterbacks, despite asking to participate in contact drills. Manske played 24 snaps in Penn State's opener at Marshall but has not seen a snap during the Big Ten schedule.

Manske also missed spring drills at Iowa State before his 2025 freshman season with an elbow injury. Campbell said that the missed time means Manske is still catching up.

"Alex is growing," Campbell said Tuesday. "He has missed a lot of time in the last two years. He didn’t get spring ball two years ago, missed the opportunity [in this] spring practice, so I think every rep that he gets in practice are valuable right reps right now in his growth performance."

Penn State's coaching staff has called Manske the program's quarterback of the future, and before the season Campbell said that Manske has "elite arm talent" and is an exceptional athlete who could start at safety.

“What that young man has done to get back to playing the way he's playing — he's playing as good a football as we've witnessed Alex Manske playing his entire career,” Campbell said in early August.

However, Campbell cautioned Tuesday that Manske still has some distance to cover before he can start for Penn State.

"We have confidence in a lot of our football players, but I think I said in this in the beginning of the season: Until the lights go on, until you get out there and play under the lights, what does that real confidence look like?" Campbell said. "And I think that’s why, for so many of the guys that are playing, there’s videotape of why they’ve earned the right to be on the football field playing for us."

After its bye week, Penn State will host Purdue on Halloween for a 4:15 p.m. ET kickoff at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Alex Manske (7) drops back in the pocket while looking to throw a pass during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bulls at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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