Iowa State quarterbacks Rocco Becht and Alex Manske announced Sunday that they’re transferring to Penn State to play for Matt Campbell, their coach with the Cyclones.
They’re among 14 Iowa State players who have committed to Penn State, including 13 on Sunday and the Cyclones’ leading passer, rusher, receiver and tackler from the 2005 season.
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The 6-1, 210-pound Becht has passed for 9,274 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career and has rushed for 19 touchdowns. He started the last three seasons at Iowa State and has one year of eligibility remaining.
This season, he threw for 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns with nine interceptions and ran for 116 yards and eight TDs despite playing the second half of the season with a left shoulder injury. He underwent surgery last month.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2023, Becht passed for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns with nine interceptions as he led Iowa State to an 11-3 record, the first double-digit win season in school history. He also rushed for 318 yards and eight TDs.
He’s the son of 12-year NFL veteran and former West Virginia tight end Anthony Becht.
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The 6-3, 225-pound Manske, a freshman, saw limited action for Iowa State in 2025, completing 4-of-5 passes for 28 yards. He was a four-star prospect and was rated the No. 20 high school quarterback in the country by On3.
Manske has four years of eligibility remaining.
Becht and Manske committed after Penn State lost all of its scholarship quarterbacks on its roster.
Drew Allar, a senior in 2025, is headed to the NFL. Ethan Grunkemeyer, who performed well after Allar’s season-ending ankle injury, put his name in the transfer portal, along with Jaxon Smolik and Bekkem Kritza.
Nazareth star quarterback Peyton Falzone also has committed to play for the Nittany Lions as part of their 2026 recruiting class..
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Becht and Manske are among 10 Iowa State offensive players who are headed to Penn State. They joined running back Carson Hansen, wide receivers Brett Eskildsen and Karon Brookins, tight ends Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle and offensive linemen Trevor Buhr, Koul Koul II and Will Tompkins.
Hansen carried 187 times for 950 yards (5.1 average) and six touchdowns in 2025. Eskildsen made 30 catches for a team-leading 526 yards and five TDs. Brahmer caught 37 passes for 446 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns.
On defense, linebackers Kooper Ebel, Cael Brezina and Caleb Bacon are leaving Iowa State for Penn State, along with safety Marcus Neal Jr.
Ebel and Neal tied for the team lead with 77 tackles, slightly ahead of Bacon’s 68 stops. Those three combined for 28.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, nine pass breakups, 11 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
