Iowa State’s football program faces another blow just weeks after losing head coach Matt Campbell. Redshirt junior quarterback Rocco Becht has informed the Cyclones coaching staff he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to reports from Pete Thamel and Brett McMurphy.
The timing shouldn’t shock anyone following Iowa State. Campbell departed for Penn State on December 8, leaving behind a program he built over 10 seasons. Washington State’s Jimmy Rogers stepped in as the replacement, but keeping Becht on board was always going to be the toughest test for the new regime. That challenge just got harder.
Becht leaves Iowa State as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in program history. He ranks third in career passing yards with 9,274 and second in touchdowns with 64. His 26 career wins as a starter represent the most of any quarterback entering the 2026 season.
That production came despite dealing with injuries throughout 2025, including a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder that required surgery on December 11.
The decision shapes Iowa State’s immediate future and potentially Penn State’s. Becht spent three years running Campbell’s offense in Ames. He knows the system. He trusts the coach. The connection between them could pull Becht to Happy Valley, where the Nittany Lions might need a quarterback depending on Drew Allar’s NFL Draft decision.
According to Thamel’s report on X, Becht’s 26 career wins will be the most of any quarterback available in 2026.
Sources: Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has informed the Iowa State coaches that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Becht’s 26 career wins as a starter will be the most of any quarterback in college football in 2026. pic.twitter.com/fwpRaESHbB
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 20, 2025
Injury-Plagued Season Masks What Rogers Loses in Iowa State Rebuild
The 2025 season tested Becht’s durability and Iowa State’s depth. After a 5-1 start where he completed nearly 65% of his passes, things changed. The Cincinnati loss on October 4 marked more than just a defeat. Becht suffered a torn labrum that game. He played the final six contests wearing a harness on his left shoulder, and his numbers dropped. He completed just 56% of his throws over that stretch with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Iowa State finished 8-4 but declined a bowl invitation after Campbell’s departure. The program opted to look forward rather than backward. That forward vision now needs to account for life without the quarterback who delivered 33 total touchdowns in 2024 and led the Cyclones to their first Big 12 Championship game appearance since 2020.
Rogers inherited a rebuild regardless. Now it’s more extensive. The quarterback room behind Becht lacks experience.
Alex Manske will be a redshirt freshman in 2026. Connor Moberly enters next season as a redshirt sophomore. Kase Evans, a Class of 2026 commit, recently decommitted. The portal might be Rogers’ only path to finding an experienced signal-caller.
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