The Matt Campbell Era is officially getting underway in Happy Valley as the Transfer Portal opening has allowed him to start building his own roster. Penn State was a disaster this season, and the Nittany Lions need to rebuild the roster as the best pieces were all Seniors which makes the turnaround harder to pull off.
The good news for Penn State is that Matt Campbell's roster at Iowa State had a ton of high end talent for him to bring to Happy Valley. Campbell has already used his old program to his advantage, taking tight ends Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle along with several other players.
Rocco Becht is the instant starter Penn State needed for 2026
On Sunday, Matt Campbell made his biggest addition yet, bringing his quarterback Rocco Becht to Penn State.
BREAKING: Iowa State transfer QB Rocco Becht has Committed to Penn State, he tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 4, 2026
In his time with the Cyclones he threw for 9,274 yards and 64 TDshttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/utA83vhgB7
As soon as Matt Campbell took the Penn State job and Rocco Becht announced he would be transferring, it seemed as if a reunion was clear and obvious. Matt Campbell didn't need to battle other programs to land Becht, but it's still a massive win for the Nittany Lions.
Rocco Becht is ranked as the 8th best quarterback in the Saturday Blitz Transfer Portal QB Rankings.
Drew Allar struggled this season, and he's off to the NFL, which left a massive void for Penn State as the Nittany Lions try to win in 2026. Rocco Becht only has one season of eligibility remaining, which makes him a bridge quarterback, but he'll get Penn State back into contention next season.
Rocco Becht passed for 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns with 9 interceptions this season while rushing for 116 yards and 8 touchdowns. Becht took a step back this season as the team had less weapons, but he's a high level passer who should give the Nittany Lions one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten.