Penn State's quarterback room in 2026 is looking deeper and more experienced, thanks to some savvy transfer additions. Leading the pack is Rocco Becht, with former Division III standout Connor Barry and promising redshirt freshman Alex Manske adding to the mix.
Adding even more intrigue are freshmen Peyton Falzone and Kase Evans, who are set to join head coach Matt Campbell and position coach Jake Waters. While these two newcomers are still somewhat of a mystery, they’re about to dive into their first winter workouts and will be taking their initial reps in spring practice soon.
Both Falzone and Evans have the potential to make waves, especially as Becht wraps up his eligibility this season. Their recruitment journeys were anything but straightforward, but they ultimately found their way to Happy Valley.
Falzone, a four-star recruit from Nazareth High School in Pennsylvania, was quite the surprise addition to Penn State's 2026 class. Originally committed to Virginia Tech, a coaching change led him to pledge to Penn State, only to flip to Auburn before another coaching shakeup brought him back to the Nittany Lions. Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith played a crucial role in steadying his recruitment process.
“He’s working his tail off as a quarterback. I think he has a chance to be really good,” Waters noted.
Standing tall at 6-5 and weighing in at 210 pounds, Falzone is a high-level athlete, though he’s still refining his quarterback skills. His journey saw him considered as an “athlete” rather than a quarterback by some teams, including Penn State initially. Despite missing much of his senior season due to injury, he was a four-year letter winner, a team captain, and earned first-team all-state honors.
“We’re going to develop him and pour everything we can into him to be the best quarterback possible,” Waters emphasized, highlighting the focus on building Falzone’s strength and technique as spring camp approaches.
Evans, on the other hand, also went through a whirlwind recruitment. Initially with Oklahoma State, a coaching change led him to Iowa State before he followed Campbell to Penn State.
His high school coach praised his ability to “wing it,” though his competition in Lexington, TX, wasn’t top-tier. Still, Waters was impressed by his natural throwing ability.
“He’s one of the most natural throwers I’ve seen in a long time,” Waters said. “Throws a pretty football, a catchable football.”
At 6-3 and 200 pounds, Evans boasts impressive stats, having thrown for 11,000 yards and 120 touchdowns as a four-year starter. Waters was struck by Evans’ leadership and toughness, noting, “He’s a natural thrower.
He’s tough. He can run.
But the type of person he is and how he led a team… it was a no-brainer for us.”
Penn State fans have plenty to be excited about with these young quarterbacks, as the future looks bright in Happy Valley.