Since the start of Big Ten play, the most experienced quarterback in college football, Rocco Becht, has thrown six interceptions to just three touchdowns. In Saturday’s 21-18 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor, his three turnovers- two picks and a lost fumble- led directly to all 21 of the Wolverines’ points.
He and his arguably stubbornly loyal head coach Matt Campbell are off to a 0-4 start in Big Ten play after winning their first three games against Group of Six opponents. Penn State is scoring 18.5 points across this four-game losing streak, and though Becht is far from the only problem with offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s unit, he’s still complicit in the shortcomings as the calls to replace him with redshirt freshman backup Alex Manske continue to grow louder.
So, as Campbell was spending his postgame press conference adamantly proclaiming that he won’t consider benching Becht and excusing the program’s struggles with talk of building a “foundation,” Becht had a different way of describing his performance and the season so far:
“I don’t know, I’m playing out there, I’m playing free, I feel good. Some plays just aren’t there for me, they just don’t work out for me. I get unlucky. It happens, and like I said, it’s humbling.”
Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht: “…I get unlucky…it’s humbling…” pic.twitter.com/YEmUldCb6s
— Mike Poorman (@PSUPoorman) October 17, 2026
Rocco Becht isn’t helping his case by chalking up his struggles to luck
“Unlucky” is the word that will undoubtedly stick in the minds of a fanbase and a football-watching public that watched Becht be late and inaccurate on both of his interceptions Saturday. There’s nothing unlucky about his decision to force a throw into double coverage on the run, and luck didn’t play a part in him missing Gabe Burkle come open by a full second and allowing Chris Bracy to take it the other way.
That’s not to pile onto Becht, who is a proven leader and has led successful offenses at the Big 12 level. Becht clearly cares. He plays hard. From an effort and attitude perspective, he delivers all you could possibly ask for. Unfortunately for everyone involved, he’s just not good enough, and chalking up mistakes to luck isn’t going to buy him any additional latitude with a fanbase that is already itching to see anyone else play his position.
Whether he’s the best option or not, Matt Campbell needs to bench Rocco Becht
Rocco Becht is probably Penn State’s best option at quarterback if the only goal is to win games. Even in the pursuit of evaluation, which should be the top priority, having competent quarterback play is vital to help understand which pieces of your offense are worth carving out a role for in the future.
With all that said, there really isn’t any justifiable reason to continue to trot out a quarterback in his final season of eligibility with any dream of a College Football Playoff bid long out of view in the rearview mirror. Manske is seemingly the heir apparent in the program, so to end the year without an answer as to whether or not he’s any good is roster construction malpractice.
Penn State’s most important goal for the rest of the way should be to decide whether Manske will be the Week 1 starter in 2027 or if the Week 1 starter is on somebody else’s roster right now. That’s everything right now, no matter how lucky or unlucky Becht has been or will be.
Rocco Becht has been unlucky, just not in the way he means
Becht’s turnovers haven’t been unlucky. He’s not a high-level processor who has thrived by aggressively attacking favorable matchups downfield and giving his receivers a chance to win at the catch point, not unlike what he did with Chase Sowell in Week 7. That’s why his best year, by far, came with two NFL wide receivers at Iowa State in 2024.
That play style, with a bit of Becht’s athleticism and moxie sprinkled on top, can theoretically be successful in the Big Ten. But very few quarterbacks could succeed without their top wide receiver, which Becht hasn’t had since Koby Howard went down with an injury in Week 3, a porous offensive line, and a run game that has averaged fewer than three yards per attempt against Power Conference opponents.
Being tasked with carrying this offense is what’s unlucky for Becht. It’s a task that few would have been able to accomplish and one that he hasn’t come close to succeeding at.
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