When we last saw Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, he wore the expression of someone who couldn't explain what was happening. He wanted to sincerely. All Becht knew was that another losing streak was happening, that his performance played a role and that he could use a bye week to catch his breath.
"Yeah, he was devastated. He really couldn't even talk," Penn State receiver Chase Sowell said after the Nittany Lions' 21-18 loss at Michigan. "You can see it on his face before we even got to the locker room. It killed him."
A bye week later, Becht and Penn State head coach Matt Campbell have reflected on and assessed the quarterback's performance through four Big Ten losses. Campbell still has no plans to make a quarterback change. In fact, after the evaluation period, Campbell said he feels even better about his starter who will lead the offense Saturday when the Nittany Lions host Purdue.
"I feel very convicted about Rocco," Campbell said Tuesday at his weekly press conference . "There's a lot of good football in there. There's a lot of really good playing in that."
The debate outside the program about replacing Becht with backup Alex Manske has not permeated the Lasch Football Building walls. Campbell delivered another full endorsement of Becht on Tuesday, saying that the quarterback has put together some "great moments" along with his stumbles.
Becht has played two very different seasons. In the three non-conference games, he was among the nation's leaders in passer efficiency rating (215.29). Becht completed 70.3 percent of his passes (second in the conference) with nine touchdowns and no interceptions in non-conference play.
The storyline shifted during the Big Ten season. Through four conference games, Becht ranks 14th in the Big Ten in efficiency (112.05), is completing 59.6 percent of his passes and has a touchdown/interception ratio of 3/5. Campbell insisted that the problems (like Becht's three turnovers against Michigan) can be corrected.
"[With] Rocco, like a lot of our players to be honest with you, I think we tried to really do a deep dive self-evaluation of where are they," Campbell said. "I think that all can't be just what's going wrong. What also went right?
"I think we were able to put a lot of that collectively together. Here's where there are some really great moments. Here is where we're playing at our best. Here is where we're not and why. I think even Rocco would tell you fundamentally there's things where it got chaotic at times, whether a decision-making process, inaccuracy process, it is fundamental, it's coachable, able to get corrected."
At Michigan. Becht called football "humbling" four times and described his feelings in the moment as "hurt" and "disappointed." Then he looked back at last season, when Iowa State lost four straight before finishing the season with three consecutive wins.
"For me, unfortunately I've been in this position before, last year," Becht said. "And I got out of it, so I'm going to be strong. I know this team's going to be strong, and we're continuing to get better. We're not having the results we want, but they'll come.I know that for sure."
Campbell will give Becht the opportunity to work out of another slump. In fact, the head coach sounded eager to see how Becht emerges this week.
"I think that piece of it is exciting because you're able to go to work, because you're able to put the time, effort and energy not just into the scheme, but into the fundamentals and details," Campbell said. "It's not just Rocco, but all of our guys having the opportunity to grow themselves so they can consistently play to the best of their ability.
"... Man, you watch college football last week. When he's at his best, he's playing good football, he's giving us a chance to win the games. I think some of the areas where he has to be better to win the games is evident as well. I think it gave us a lot of time and effort to go, man, correct those things and have a great plan moving ourselves forward."
Penn State hosts Purdue at 4:15 p.m. ET Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Big Ten Network will televises.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/pennstate as Why Penn State's Matt Campbell Remains All-In With QB Rocco Becht .
