Neil Rudel on PSU: Nittany Lions are counting on Becht’s leadership
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STATE COLLEGE -- Rocco Becht comes to Penn State as a three-year starter from Iowa State.He's won 26 of 39 career starts, completed 60.7% of his passes with a touchdown-interception ratio of 64-27 and a healthy yards-per-attempt of 7.9.
But he also played in the Big 12, which is not known for defense, and in fact, the two recent offensive hires the Nittany Lions made out from the Big 12, coordinators Mike Yurcich and Andy Kotelnicki, failed.
So despite his experience, Becht still has plenty to prove as a quarterback in the Big Ten.
"I'm hardest on myself," he said as the Lions prepared to open their season against Marshall on Saturday (3:30 p.m, FS1). "Every single day, there's reps I want back. But that's what practice and fall camp are for."
In a recent anonymous survey, a Big 12 defensive coordinator questioned whether Becht, at 6-foot-1, 208 pounds will be able to withstand the rigors of the Big Ten's physicality.
Becht said his father, Anthony, a former NFL tight end for 11 seasons, has encouraged his son to ignore outside noise.
"Mental toughness is a big strength in my game," Becht said.
While all eyes will be on Becht's quarterback skills -- his arm strength, his accuracy and (unlike what we saw from Drew Allar), his ability to throw the deep ball -- one thing that won't be in question is his leadership.
Matt Campbell knew the kind of leader Becht was at Iowa State, and that intangible has carried over 10-fold with the move here.
"Rocco is in a completely different space than I've seen him in his career," Campbell, who recruited Becht in 2021, said. "What he brings to the table is a guy who's gone through the highs and lows of college football. He's been in the same system. I wouldn't say he's been flawless, but he's played an elite clip every day. He's had great command of situational football, and what we're trying to do offensively. But the biggest thing a great quarterback does is he leads the team.
"If you have an entire locker room willing to fight for a quarterback, you've got a special leader, and he's shown that."
Becht said his leadership has grown "immensely," and it started in the spring when he was rehabbing from offseason surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder.
"I had to lead off the field," he said. "I was helping the quarterbacks with their reads or from the sidelines. I had never done that before."
He recognizes that every player's approachability varies.
"Having a new culture and new teammates and being able to lead each and every one a different way," Becht said. "No matter where you come from - a guy I know and can get on a little bit or a guy I don't know and can pull off to the side. I've been adaptable."
Receiver Brett Eskildsen, who gained 526 yards receiving and had five touchdowns last year at ISU, called Becht a "role model."
"He just doesn't lead himself -- he leads others," Eskildsen said. "I can look up to him. Like, 'OK, how do I need to workout? What does my attitude need to be like?' You can look to Rocco."
Becht thinks the holdover Lions and the past Cyclones are blending well.
"Last year it was a team (Iowa State) that had been built," he said. "Here, this is a team that we're trying to grow those standards and implement a culture and expectations. I think this team has something special. We have the talent. Now we have to bring everything together."
Becht arrived at PSU with a degree in communications and, like many fifth-year seniors, is in the enviable position of taking only a three-credit class.
"It's the props of being graduated," he said, adding he'll then begin pursuit of a Masters degree.
He said he has not been recognized much around campus, in part because he sticks close to the football facility.
"I'm super low-key," he said. "I'm not really going downtown or on campus. But I love the town and the people that are here."
His father was around for fall camp.
"It was really cool for me," Becht said. "He doesn't sit in the quarterback meetings. He's in the tight end and offensive line meetings. He loves to listen to football (talk) and learn about blocking schemes. He was living in my townhome when I was in the hotel."
Iowa State averaged nearly a sellout in 61,000-seat Trice Stadium last year, but Becht knows the scene at Beaver Stadium, currently under renovation but still holding 108,000, is like almost no other.
"I can't wait," he said. "I'll probably get butterflies. I hear there's nothing like it."
Neil Rudel covers Penn State fotoball and can be reached by email at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.