Penn State has added a veteran quarterback, as Rocco Becht announced he will transfer from the Iowa State Cyclones, following coach Matt Campbell to State College.
Becht made his decision public late Sunday on social media, giving Penn State an experienced replacement for Ethan Grunkemeyer, who entered the transfer portal at roughly the same time. Multiple reports indicate Grunkemeyer is headed to Virginia Tech Hokies, where he is expected to reunite with James Franklin.
Becht brings a long résumé of stability. He started 39 consecutive games for Campbell at Iowa State, the longest active streak among Big 12 quarterbacks and the fourth-longest nationally at the position. He will also continue working with his Iowa State offensive coordinator, Taylor Mouser, during his final season of eligibility.
On the field, Becht helped lead the Cyclones to the Big 12 championship game in 2024 and has been one of the nation’s steadiest quarterbacks over the past three seasons. This year he completed 60% of his passes, averaging 215 yards per game with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also produced a Football Bowl Subdivision-best streak of 22 straight games with at least one touchdown pass.
Grunkemeyer’s departure follows a strong finish to the season in Happy Valley. Thrust into action after Drew Allar suffered a midseason ankle injury, Grunkemeyer led the Nittany Lions to four consecutive wins to close the year. He set a program record with a 69.1% completion rate, topped 200 passing yards in three games and has three seasons of eligibility remaining. At Virginia Tech, he is expected to compete to replace Kyron Drones, who exhausted his eligibility.
Source: KCRG