Matt Campbell’s early present to the Penn State Nittany Lions could be coming soon in a very familiar package for Iowa State fans
Could Iowa State Rocco Becht join Matt Campbell with the Penn State Nittany Lions?
After a long and tumultuous head coaching search for the Penn State Nittany Lions, the team finally found their replacement for the departed James Franklin – former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell. While the process of the search was mostly horrible, it is quite possible that Penn State lucked out with Campbell. Known as a program builder during his time with the Cyclones and Toledo, Campbell has amassed an overall record of 107-70 as a coach, which is impressive when you consider the context of the programs he has been a part of.
Campbell is walking into a Penn State program that is a proud tradition, but there are a lot of question marks that will be pressed on him. With a talented group of players set to head off to the NFL, more destined to enter the Transfer Portal, and a very small recruiting class coming in, there is going to be a lot of roster turnover this offseason. The former Iowa State head coach has done a tremendous job of finding talent in several different places, and he will need to work his magic heading into the 2026 college football season.
Will any Cyclones follow Campbell?
In the modern era of college football with the Transfer Portal and NIL, two things typically happen during coaching changes. There is usually an exodus of players from the previous roster, and often players tend to follow the new coach from his previous stop. It will be interesting to see how many former Iowa State players come to join Campbell in Happy Valley.
One player to keep a close eye on is former Cyclone quarterback Rocco Becht. With Penn State saying goodbye to Drew Allar this offseason, there is going to be a hole to fill behind center, unless the new staff is a big believer in Ethan Grunkemeyer. There has already been some speculation around Becht making the move this offseason, although that is just speculation at this point.
Just a redshirt junior, Becht does have one season of eligibility remaining. The 6-1, 210-pound passer is a good college player but not much of an NFL prospect. He would be best served returning to school for a final season in 2026, hoping to end his career on a solid note.
For Penn State, having a solid bridge at quarterback would be a great extension of Campbell early in his career. At the very worst, he would bring that leadership to the table. With Grunkemeyer still being young, Becht would also provide some good mentorship if he wants to stick around. His presence would be a big bonus to all involved.
While Becht is far from a perfect quarterback, he has still been productive in his three years as a starter. During his career so far, he has thrown for 9,274 yards and 64 touchdowns. Becht has also rushed for another 499 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground, giving a solid element with his legs. Even if Grunkemeyer ends up beating Becht out at some point, the knowledge of the offense and experience can’t be undersold.
The Transfer Portal will be open January 2-16. If the rumors are true, don’t be shocked if Becht decides to test the water. If he does, there’s a good chance we all know where he ends up for his final season. We won’t have to wait very long to find out.
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