Penn State’s bye week has opened the door to a quarterback debate, but the sense from Matt Campbell has been pretty clear: Rocco Becht is still the guy.
Campbell said after practice Tuesday, “We have complete faith in Rocco Becht,” and later added, “from Alex’s standpoint, we have great belief that he’s going to have a bright future. His time will come, and when that time comes, we’ll be excited for that opportunity. But obviously that time is not right now.”
That leaves little room for a change unless Becht’s availability changes. But the discussion around Penn State’s Oct. 31 game against Purdue isn’t going away, especially with Becht having struggled in three of four Big Ten games and backup Alex Manske waiting behind him.
Chase Fisher argued Campbell should make the move now and hand the offense to Manske. His case centers on the bigger picture: if Manske looks ready, Penn State can feel better about its quarterback situation for next season.
If he doesn’t, the staff can always look outside the program, including in the transfer portal, where Maryland’s Malik Washington could be available after Mike Locksley was fired. Fisher noted Washington had Penn State in his top-six when he was being recruited.
Mark Wogenrich pushed back hard on the idea of a switch, saying Penn State is “about six offensive plays from being 6-1.” He pointed to Becht’s missed chances against Wisconsin, USC and Michigan, arguing those games could have turned with a few different throws or decisions. His view is that Becht is a boom-or-bust quarterback, and Campbell understands that better than most.
Wogenrich also said multiple teams were willing to jump in for Becht in the January portal window, but he stayed with Campbell. That, in his view, matters. The coach knows Becht, trusts him, and still believes he gives Penn State the best shot over the final five weeks.
Fisher’s argument for Manske is rooted in opportunity. The backup has not played in Big Ten action, but he has looked solid in garbage time.
He completed 9 of 14 passes for 102 yards and added two carries for nine yards in two games. He also appeared against Temple for three plays and rushed for five yards.
Fisher said Penn State won’t know whether Manske can handle the job unless it gives him a shot, and he also argued that the Nittany Lions’ run game has been a major issue, which makes a dual-threat option worth testing.
Wogenrich countered that readiness is the real dividing line. Manske is medically cleared after spring open-heart surgery, but he has missed two spring cycles at Iowa State and Penn State and did not start throwing until mid-June.
In Wogenrich’s view, that kind of catch-up work matters too much to hand him the starting role now. He said Manske is ready to back up Becht, but starting is another level entirely.
There’s also the future-facing angle. Fisher said if Penn State keeps spiraling and misses a bowl, some of Campbell’s 2027 and 2028 commits could look elsewhere.
But he also argued that a strong closing stretch, whether five straight wins or even a 4-1 finish, would help the program’s momentum. From that perspective, the quarterback who gives Penn State the best chance to win now should be the one under center.
Wogenrich’s bottom line was different. Penn State may not be in playoff contention, but it still needs wins, and he sees Becht as the best path to them.
In his view, this is not the year to “play for next season,” especially with the roster likely to change again. He said the program can still build goodwill by finishing 8-4, and he believes Becht has the best shot to help make that happen after using the bye week to reset.
For now, Campbell’s stance appears unchanged. Becht remains the starter, Manske remains the backup, and the debate will keep hanging over Penn State until the Nittany Lions return Oct. 31.
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