Penn State football QB room update with Rocco Becht, Alex Manske
· Yahoo Sports
Penn State football appears to be gifted with improving, good health at its most critical position to start preseason camp.
Matt Campbell's Nittany Lions are in good shape at quarterback, for now.
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This comes after the Lions' QB room was in a potential precarious position in Campbell's first season in State College with senior QB Rocco Becht rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery and promising backup Alex Manske out with an undisclosed health situation.
Both have been cleared and will practice at top capacity when official workouts begin next week.
Campbell updated a small group of reporters here during the opening of the annual Big Ten Media Days at the downtown Hilton Hotel. He met the media on Tuesday, July 28, the first of this three-day preseason festival, with expected captains Becht, linebacker Tony Rojas and offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh.
It's worth noting that Rojas, Donkoh and tight end Andrew Rappleyea also will begin camp at full-health after missing spring practice with injury issues. Promising transfer defensive back Jeremiah Cooper and returning linebacker Alex Tatsch hope to be working close to 100 percent by the second half of camp, Campbell said.
Becht, the most experienced returning QB in college football this season, confirmed a bit later that he's fully recovered from a procedure to repair his non-throwing shoulder and will practice with no restraints.
Meanwhile, Campbell described Manske's recovery as "monumental." The redshirt freshman was just cleared for full football activities in early July.
The only other scholarship quarterbacks on Penn State's roster have never taken a Division I game snap: true freshmen Kase Evans and Peyton Falzone and Division III All-American transfer Connor Barry.
Barry and Becht are both seniors, entering their final season eligibility.
"Certainly, we believe in what his talent level is," Campbell said of Manske.
"The development piece, when you talk about the first year and a half of his career, has been a little bit choppy. So, for him to have this summer, all of fall camp and as we get into this season, to continue to grow and develop his skill set, that's huge for us evaluating Alex. But also for Alex's confidence to grow forward, so he can be the quarterback of the future of our program."
Manske (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) played in three Iowa State games in 2025 and preserved his redshirt. He completed 4 of 5 passes for 28 yards and ran for 33 yards and a touchdown.
Manske has missed consecutive spring practice seasons under Campbell, including 2025 when he recovering from a high school elbow injury.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football QB room update with Rocco Becht, Alex Manske