Penn State football faced high expectations in 2025 after coming off a College Football Playoff loss in the semifinals the year prior. The Nittany Lions, like before, could not overcome the hump — and, in fact, couldn't even reach less than the bare minimum of expectations.
Penn State triumphs in the Big Ten for 3-star safety following spring visit
Handling the pressure is something Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin and former quarterback Drew Allar notoriously struggled with. With two new faces in those roles, head coach Matt Campbell and quarterback Rocco Becht, the blue and white hope to break the ceiling the former never did.
"There is a little bit of pressure, but everyone says that pressure is a privilege, and I'm excited to go out there and win games for this team," Becht told college football analyst Adam Breneman.
There was never a doubt in Campbell's mind of Becht following him from Iowa State to State College. Having an experience starter under center is the perfect way for Campbell to start his tenure at Penn State.
"The whole time, [Campbell] was telling me, 'Hey, you're coming, right?'" Becht recalled laughing. "[I said], 'Yeah, I'm coming.' So, he was like, 'I already know you're coming.'"
I went back to State College to sit down with Penn State’s new signal-caller @RoccoBecht.
— Adam Breneman (@AdamBreneman81) April 18, 2026
This was one of my favorite conversations on the show yet.
We go inside WHY he transferred to Penn State, his transition to a new program, how he leads in the locker room, and how he’s… pic.twitter.com/jGaOFSgf6q
Quarterback Rocco Becht says "pressure is a privilege" and is ready to win at Penn State
In 2025, Becht completed 205-of-339 passes for a 60.5 completion rate. He threw for 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns, getting intercepted nine times over 12 games.
Stats are one thing. His mindset is another.
Inviting in the pressure and not dismissing it, like the 2025 Nittany Lions did, can help push the blue and white over the hump. They have a head coach and quarterback who have that shared goal in mind, and were blessed with a manageable Big Ten schedule.
Becht's attitude and perspective on pressure, specifically, also sets him apart from Allar. There's no cloud looming over him, though there are some expectations for a senior started under center and for the program as a whole given the sudden change midseason.
The mentality can take Penn State far, even to the point of making the CFP. One thing's for certain, though, Becht is ready to win.
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