Quarterback Rocco Becht ready to roll for No. 18 Penn State after offseason surgery and rehab

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Matt Campbell has been around Rocco Becht long enough to know the quarterback can bounce back from nearly anything.

The Penn State coach has seen Becht immediately forget bad plays that might linger with other signal-callers for unhealthy amounts of time. He’s watched Becht empathize with and encourage teammates to move past mistakes when other quarterbacks might get annoyed or let impatience further muddy the practice field.

Now, Campbell is looking forward to watching a surgically repaired Becht rebound from what the QB calls the “dark patch” in his career when the No. 18 Nittany Lions open a new era on Saturday against Marshall.

“What I always love about Rocco is Rocco is never trying to be anybody else but the absolute best version of himself,” Campbell said. “I think you’ve seen that in really critical, hard moments, him step up in key situations and win the football game with the ball in his hand. I think that aspect of it, it’s earned.”

There were fewer of those moments last season during Becht’s junior year at Iowa State thanks to painful shoulder injuries.

Becht, who threw for 3,505 yards with 29 touchdowns in Iowa State’s 11-3 season two years ago, was just 205 for 339 with 2,584 yards and 13 fewer touchdowns last year when the Cyclones went 8-4.

After having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, Becht transferred to Penn State, following Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser from Ames.

“When that guy’s playing clear-headed and we have the ball and he’s extending plays and he’s throwing on time and he trusts what he sees, you can tell there’s another gear to that guy’s game,” Mouser said.

It’s taken time to find it.

Becht enrolled at Penn State in January and wasn’t able to start throwing until March. He was limited in spring practice, where he spent more time watching film and getting to know nearly 60 new teammates.

Meanwhile, he teamed with Penn State’s nutrition staff to rebuild a body that he admits fell out of shape when he was on the mend from surgery. Since then, Becht estimated he turned 4 pounds of fat into at least 5 pounds of muscle.

“It kind of gives you a restart button where you’re able to restart from the bottom and that’s what I did,” Becht said. “I got on a regimen, got on a good diet that helps me build muscle but keeps me lean.”

Once in throwing shape, Becht took time this summer to visit professional quarterback coach Will Hewlett in Florida. Hewlett, who works with former Iowa State standout and NFL starter Brock Purdy, worked with Becht to tweak his throwing motion.

“He’s been great to me,” Becht said. “I think it’s more mechanics and more trying to throw the ball with more velocity without putting too much strain on my shoulder.”

Early in training camp, Becht said he felt a noticeable difference.

“I feel healthy, 100% again, so I feel like I’m back to my 2024 self. I just want to go out there, play ball and win a lot of games for this program.”

It’s a place he’d never thought he’d be.

Although he’ll enter the game against Marshall with 26 career wins as a starter — the most in college football — the barely recruited player from Wesley Chapel, Florida, isn’t used to a spotlight like the one he’ll have this season.

“To be able to think where I’m here right now at one of the most prestigious, historic programs in college football, I’m super blessed,” Becht said. “This wasn’t on my agenda, and so now that I am here, I’m super excited to be a part of it, super excited to get the season on the roll and excited to see what it has in store for us.”

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