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Penn State QB Rocco Becht Stays Starter Despite Three Turnovers
Penn State coach Matt Campbell says QB Rocco Becht remains starter after three turnovers against Michigan, with backup Alex Manske not ready to play.
In brief
Penn State coach Matt Campbell says QB Rocco Becht remains starter after three turnovers against Michigan, with backup Alex Manske not ready to play. Penn State will keep QB Rocco Becht as starter despite three turnovers against Michigan, with backup QB Alex Manske not ready for the season. Originally reported by Penn…
Penn State coach Matt Campbell defends Rocco Becht
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.
Campbell: Rocco Becht plays good football
Campbell said Rocco has continued to play good football, with moments he would love to have back, but that’s part of the game.
Campbell: Thin margin of error
Campbell said Penn State’s margin of error is thin, requiring effort from all levels to fill that gap.
Campbell: Alex Manske not ready to start
Campbell said backup quarterback Alex Manske isn’t ready to become starter yet, though he has a bright future.
Becht’s performance against Michigan
Becht committed three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) that Michigan turned into all 21 of their points.
Becht’s Big Ten stats
In Penn State’s four Big Ten losses, Becht has completed 59.6 percent of passes with three touchdowns and five interceptions.
Becht’s conference rating
Becht’s conference-play quarterback rating of 112.05 ranks 14th among Big Ten quarterbacks.
Campbell: Manske’s medical history
Manske underwent open-heart surgery on March 16, missing spring drills and not throwing again until mid-June.
Manske’s playing time
Manske played 45 snaps in Penn State’s three non-conference games, going 9-for-14 for 102 yards.
Manske’s missed opportunities
Manske missed spring drills at Iowa State before his 2025 freshman season with an elbow injury.
Campbell: Manske’s growth
Campbell said Manske has missed a lot of time in the last two years and every practice rep is valuable for his growth.
Penn State calls Manske future QB
Penn State’s coaching staff calls Manske the program’s quarterback of the future with elite arm talent.
Campbell: Manske still has distance
Campbell cautioned Manske still has some distance to cover before he can start for Penn State.
Penn State hosts Purdue on Halloween
After its bye week, Penn State will host Purdue on Halloween for a 4:15 p.m. ET kickoff at Beaver Stadium.
The one thing
Penn State will keep QB Rocco Becht as starter despite three turnovers against Michigan, with backup QB Alex Manske not ready for the season.
