Campbell

The absence of quarterback Rocco Becht was known for the duration of spring practice, but it turns out that Penn State confirmed Tuesday it would be down two quarterbacks throughout the month of April.

Alex Manske, who was the backup quarterback behind Becht last season at Iowa State, will miss the rest of spring practice after surgery for an undisclosed injury.

“We feel for Alex,” PSU football coach Matt Campbell said. “It’s kind of something he’s been dealing with, but we felt it was best to be taken care of now so we can get him back ready for fall camp.”

The bright side is younger quarterbacks, such as Division III transfer Connor Barry, has been getting the bulk of the reps in practice. Campbell said Barry has been ‘the surprise in four days of practice.’

“I think we were all really excited for Connor to come here, and it allowed him to be with some of our veteran players and watch how he operates,” Campbell said.

The recruiting game

Campbell said the program is still playing catch-up in some ways in regards to the 2027 recruiting class.

Campbell has recruited some of the areas he is recruiting now while he was the head coach at Toledo, so the familiarity of the areas haven’t been a problem.

“You do have some inroads, and you know certainly what these areas have stood for over time. It’s all about the human beings we bring in here. I’m a huge person in relationships of who fits Penn State, and who fits our culture. We’re going to do it slow and right.”

Green dot discussion

In Campbell’s defenses in the past, the middle linebacker, or the “Mike,” has worn the green dot that signifies he wears the headset in his helmet.

That will be no different at Penn State, as most of the Mike linebackers were former Iowa State players under Campbell.

“They are great communicators,” Campbell said. “Communication on the defensive side is critical for us.”

Reconnecting the past

Campbell has invited past players from the program to practice in an effort to reconnect former stars with a new era in Penn State football.

Past players that have been seen at practice include Todd Blackledge, Chuck Fusina, DJ Dozier, and Josh Hull.

“To be able to represent this, to understand the lineage, it’s bigger than me,” Campbell said. “It’s bigger than any of us. Any time you get the opportunity to put that uniform on and step in that stadium, you have to know what you’re representing.”