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QB Manske impressing Lions coaching staff

PSU Media Day Notes

By Andy Stine 5 min read

UNIVERSITY PARK -- Penn State backup quarterback Alex Manske grew up in Iowa and was a very big Iowa State fan and went to QB camps hosted by Matt Campbell and Lions offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser.

Campbell called Manske "one of the top three or four quarterbacks" of the 2025 class. Manske stayed at home and signed with the Cyclones.

"He had everybody (recruiting him) in the country," Campbell said Friday at Penn State media day.

"It was a monumental win for us because we thought he was the quarterback of the future. If you watched, he led his team incredibly during his high school career. He was a great basketball player on top of it, and a great golfer. A guy that has all these elite traits. You just saw it. This guy is really special."

Once Campbell took the job at Penn State, Mouser came to State College shortly after. It became a no-brainer for Manske to follow suit and be Rocco Becht's backup for one more year as a redshirt freshman.

Now Campbell is giving Manske big props after his first couple practices of fall camp.

"He's playing as good of football in the last two days as we've witnessed Alex Manske play his entire career," Campbell said.

Manske is ready to go after missing all of spring ball with an undisclosed medical condition.

If you ask Manske himself, he's as good as new.

"I feel about as good as I ever have right now," he said.

Junior receiver Brett Eskildsen, who is roommates with Manske and considers the QB as one of his best friends, calls Manske 'the miracle child.'

"Him being back on the field and looking as good as he has, he shocks me more every day," Eskildsen said. "I'm super proud and happy he's back on the field."

Bacon an edge rusher?

Campbell confirmed on Friday that linebacker Caleb Bacon has spent time as an edge rusher during preseason camp, but he will be open-minded on him remaining as a linebacker, as well.

"He was an all-conference player two years ago," Campbell said. "Fifty percent of his snaps were up on the line of scrimmage. As we kind of got through spring, we felt we'd be missing the boat not to add to his multiplicity."

While putting a hand in the dirt isn't exactly new for Bacon, he is learning to like it perhaps even more so than his natural position.

"It's a place (Campbell) thinks I can excel in. I feel comfortable being down there," Bacon said.

"I feel like it's a lot less thinking than it is at linebacker. There's a lot going on at linebacker. You're thinking a lot at D end, but it's more reactionary. It's a tough position physically. That's a part I've had to transition to slowly through fall camp, but I'm looking forward to it."

Mauti in Lasch Building

At the end of July, PSU football announced the hiring of Lions legend Michael Mauti as the program's director of football engagement.

Mauti was the face of the 2012 team that was a huge factor in keeping the vast majority of the team together directly after the NCAA handed down crippling sanctions on Penn State.

"They stood tall in such a traumatic time for Penn State football," PSU cornerbacks coach and alumnus Terry Smith said. "(Mauti's) another great voice. He can lend his experience. He stands for all the right things. He really teaches our guys what a Penn State football player looks like, and what they should do and what they should be."

According to Lions247, Mauti's role will be serving as a connector between the current players, key financial supporters, and the lettermen.

"First, I wanted to see if he could have any eligibility with this new rule that came out," Campbell said with a smile. "I thought maybe we could get him for one more year.

"I was honestly just struck by his passion for what Penn State as a university and Penn State as a football program is about. That was even before we got down the rabbit hole of the 2012 team."

Becht in Altoona

Earlier this summer, Becht donated a total of $5,000 dollars in gift cards to the new Academy Sports & Outdoors in Altoona to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Blair County.

Philanthropy has always been important to Becht, and it was no different for him to make the trip from State College to Altoona to put smiles on the children's faces.

"I love doing those kinds of things. I love helping in any way I can," Becht said. "I've done a few things like that in the past back in Iowa. I want to continue to do things like that in State College."

While the complicated offseason and choosing to finish his collegiate career at Penn State proved to be one that wasn't expected, it didn't allow Becht to do as much as he wanted to do within the community. He said that will change after the conclusion of this season.

"Not really a lot of time to do stuff like that, but after this season I definitely plan on coming back and giving back to this community because I know they're going to be giving us a lot this season," Becht said.

Barker named to list

Nits kicker Ryan Barker was selected to the Lou Groza Award watch list on Friday.

He joins teammates Becht (Maxwell), Benjamin Brahmer (Mackey), Gabe Burkle (Mackey), Brock Riker (Rimington), Tony Rojas (Lott Impact), and Blaise Sokach-Minnick (Mannelly) on an award watch list in the preseason.

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