No, Penn State Shouldn't Bench Quarterback Rocco Becht

ANN ARBOR, Michigan | Matt Campbell recruited Rocco Becht to Iowa State five years ago as the program's offensive heir to Brock Purdy. They shared quarterback traits like size, command of the offense and huddle, strength of leadership and a natural ability to connect with people.

They also possessed a resilient sense of "it," that undefinable but know-when-you-see-it quality for which quarterbacks yearn.

"It doesn't matter if there's a bad play," Penn State quarterbacks coach Jake Waters said of Becht and Purdy before the season. "They're going to come back, and they're not going to lose confidence in what they do."

Purdy is rich with that as the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback. But Becht, who still calls Purdy on occasion, looks dissolved of confidence right now. After Penn State's 21-18 loss to Michigan on Saturday night, Becht brave-faced it in Michigan Stadium's cramped visitor's media room. But it was clear that the game, and his performance, hit him hard.

"Hurt, disappointed," Becht said after committing three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) that led to 21 Michigan points. Becht wouldn't stop tilting at the Michigan windmill, however, leading a touchdown drive in the game's final minutes. He also couldn't absolve himself of a second half that led to Penn State's fourth straight loss.

"Yeah, he was devastated. He really couldn’t even talk," said Penn State receiver Chase Sowell, who caught 11 of Becht's 28 completions for a career-high 151 yards and a touchdown. "You can see it on his face before we even got to the locker room. It killed him."

At this point, we should be suggesting that Campbell, with a bye week before hosting Purdue, should open the quarterback competition. But we won't, and not merely because Campbell cut short that conversation Saturday night.

"I have complete faith in who Rocco Becht is and what he’s about," Campbell said. "Listen, nobody’s more devastated than that guy right now in that locker room. But the reality is, that’s the position he plays."

'You just have to be Rocco Becht'

Becht made some terrific throws Saturday at Michigan. He put a few balls into spots where Sowell alone could catch them. He completed his first seven passes, suggesting that Good Rocco would take over this game.

But Becht can flip to Bad Rocco in seconds. In the second half, he made Sowell the center of his universe (targeting him 16 times in the game) and threw balls at him that seemed like dares.

With the rest of his receivers, Becht occasionally looked lost. He somehow thought rifling a pass through a keyhole to Brett Eskildsen was a good idea. It became his first interception.

More egregiously, Becht tried to throw a ball through a defender to tight end Gabe Burkle, which Michigan's Chris Bracy caught instead. That was his worst interception of the season.

And finally, with the ball in the fourth quarter and a chance to tie the game with a field goal, Becht didn't hear the blitz from behind him (Bracy again) and couldn't hold the ball. That turnover wasn't entirely his fault (Penn State blocked the read-option horribly), but Becht lost contain in that moment.

Which went to who Becht is and where he is now. Like Waters said, and also like Purdy, Becht has an internal level of super-confidence that he can make any play, any time. It's an admirable trait among quarterbacks. It also gets them into trouble when they fail to ration it properly.

"It’s hard to watch a guy that loves a place so much, appreciates a place so much and is trying to do so much for a place," Sowell said of Becht. "The biggest thing I told him was, 'You don't have to make these outstanding plays, you don't have to make the superhero play. You just have to be Rocco Becht.

"You just have to make the simple routine plays, let your guys work, let [offensive coordinator Taylor] Mouser do what he does and then let you get to some swag."

'This game's super-humbling'

Becht looked sapped of his swag after the game. "Hurt, disappointment," he said. "There's plays I want back." He called the game "humbling" four times.

"That I went through it last year and I wasn’t expecting to go through it again," Becht said when asked what was most humbling.

As he continues to remind people, Becht has been here before. Last year, Iowa State lost four straight games with a bye week sandwiched in between.

The Cyclones broke the losing streak with a 20-17 win over TCU during Becht's worst game of the season (9-for-24, 111 yards, one TD, two interceptions). Finally, Becht recalibrated by going 18-for-23 for 241 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Kansas.

"This game’s super-humbling," Becht said. "That’s why you play, that’s why you love it. For me, unfortunately I’ve been in this position before, last year. And I got out of it, so I’m going to be strong. I know this team’s going to be strong, and we’re continuing to get better. We’re not having the results we want, but they’ll come. I know that for sure."

As awkward as Becht has been through much of the Big Ten season, Penn State shouldn't (or can't) follow Michigan's lead and replace its starting quarterback. This team needs wins in its last five games, and Becht is the quarterback best equipped to deliver them.

This seems like a natural point in Penn State's schedule to test the waters with backup Alex Manske, whom his coaches have called the future of the program. Manske has more size (6-3, 210 pounds), more arm strength and more athleticism. He's a five-sport high school athlete who has designed run packages in Penn State's offense that the team hasn't used yet.

But Manske isn't a threat to test the portal, particularly considering his relationships with Campbell and Mouser, whom he credited with helping lift his psyche after open-heart surgery in March. There's no reason to play Manske to prevent him from transferring.

To play him for experience and to test-drive his skills? That's a real conversation, perhaps for November. And Becht's leash certainly should be much tighter when Penn State plays Purdue, confidence and swag or not.

But this remains Becht's team. Campbell believes completely in Becht, limitations and all. Asking him to undercut that isn't what's best for Penn State, even after three turnovers.

Following the game, Becht told his teammates through tears, "I've got to be better for y'all." Which he does, no doubt. So does his offensive line and run game, which gave him just 65 yards rushing to work with.

But Becht still is the best quarterback for Penn State. No, he isn't Brock Purdy. But as Sowell said, he doesn't have to to be. He just needs to be Rocco again.

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