Iowa State QB Rocco Becht to Enter Portal — Should West Virginia Pursue Him?

One of the top QBs in the Big 12 is hitting the market, and he has ties to WVU.

Nov 8, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) walks off the field after the Cyclones defeat the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Another top quarterback in the Big 12 Conference is set to enter the transfer portal — Iowa State's Rocco Becht.

He now becomes the third starting quarterback that the Mountaineers will avoid on the 2026 schedule, joining Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati) and Josh Hoover (TCU), who are also transferring out of their respective programs.

Sources: Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has informed the Iowa State coaches that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Becht’s 26 career wins as a starter will be the most of any quarterback in college football in 2026. pic.twitter.com/fwpRaESHbB

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 20, 2025

But could Becht do more than just help WVU by not facing them? What about joining them?

Becht's father, Anthony, was a tight end for the Mountaineers from 1996-99 and has remained a huge supporter of the program since his playing day, except for when Rocco and the Cyclones faced them, of course.

He wasn't recruited by Neal Brown and the previous coaching staff at West Virginia, who instead took Nicco Marchiol in the 2022 class. Boy, have things changed in the last twelve months. Neal Brown was fired last December, reports surfaced during the season that Nicco Marchiol would enter the portal in January, Matt Campbell was hired away by Penn State, and now Becht is hitting the market as well.

Why Becht to West Virginia makes sense

If the Mountaineers want to take a huge step forward in 2026 and have a chance to compete for the Big 12 title, they need a proven veteran quarterback in the fold. Scotty Fox Jr. flashed a ton of promise as a true freshman, but could benefit from a full year of development.

Nowadays, getting a young quarterback, or any player for that matter, to get on board with a plan that includes them taking a year to develop after playing is quite the chore. Before, they really didn't have a choice. Now, they can just up and leave if they don't like the plan that's being mapped out for them. But if Fox understands how this could benefit him, it would be a win-win for WVU. Becht has one year of eligibility remaining and can be the bridge to the future, be it Fox or maybe even Jyron Hughley.

In 42 career games, Becht has thrown for 9,274 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions while completing 60% of his pass attempts. He's also rushed for 499 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Why WVU shouldn't pursue Becht

While Becht fits perfectly in the one-year bridge plan and has a ton of experience under his belt, he's going to land some pretty serious NIL packages from other schools. Is it worth paying him however many ever million for one season in which the program is still building? It would be a big risk, especially for a quarterback who regressed this past season.

I usually have a pretty firm stance on these kinds of things, but I'm indifferent on this one. So you tell me. Should Becht be in play for West Virginia?

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