Penn State’s Rocco Becht Among Quarterbacks Who Followed Coach To New School

Player movement is inevitable when a coach leaves one school for another. That is especially the case with non-power conference coaches hired to lead power conference programs. Following a coach who steps up within the power conference ranks has also been a frequent occurrence. The best example from the most recent coaching carousel/transfer portal cycle is Rocco Becht following Matt Campbell east to Happy Valley.

Prime examples of coaches and quarterbacks moving together from a non-power program to that of the Power Four are Alex Golesh and Byrum Brown leaving USF for Auburn as well as Eric Morris and Drew Mestemaker departing North Texas for Oklahoma State. Since both QBs had eligibility remaining, it was all but a foregone conclusion they would not be separated from their coaches for long.

Here is a look at QBs who made the move to continue to be with their coach.

Penn State

Coach: Matt Campbell | QBs: Rocco Becht, Alex Manske

In joining Campbell at Penn State, Becht will also continue to work under offensive coordinator, Taylor Mouser, whose decade-long career as an assistant has been entirely with Campbell beginning at Toledo in 2015. QB coach Jake Waters also made the move. Hence, there is ample continuity on the Nittany Lions’ staff, continuity that stretches to the roster with the Cyclones’ leading running back, Carson Hansen, receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen and tight end Gabe Burkle, among others, also changing colors.

Becht brings a resume to Happy Valley that includes an active streak of 39 starts, 9,274 yards passing and 83 total touchdowns. The Cyclones went 26-13 in the three seasons Becht led the offense. The quarterback’s father, Anthony, played in the NFL and was born in Pennsylvania, albeit 150 miles east outside Philly.

Becht was not the only quarterback to join Campbell at Penn State. Alex Manske, who was expected to compete for the top job in Ames, may have a chance to do that with the Nittany Lions in 2027. He played in three games last season which allowed him to maintain four seasons of eligibility.

Virginia Tech

Coach: James Franklin | QB: Ethan Grunkemeyer

The Penn State vacancy arose with the firing of Franklin following a loss to visiting Northwestern that dropped the Nittany Lions’ Big Ten mark to 0-3. To add injury to the insult, quarterback Drew Allar’s career came to an end in that game when the senior broke his left ankle. That opened the door for Grunkemeyer.

Grunkemeyer, who was part of Franklin’s 2024 recruiting class, took over the offense and finished the season with 1,339 yards passing and eight touchdowns. He transferred to Virginia Tech to re-join Franklin as well as offensive coordinator Ty Howle to be part of an offense that lost three of its quarterbacks, including Kyron Drones, who expired his eligibility. Franklin also welcomed Bryce Baker, a rather coveted recruit who redshirted for Bill Belichick at North Carolina last season.

Auburn

Coach: Alex Golesh | QBs Byrum Brown, Locklan Hewlett

Golesh built an explosive offense at USF. With Brown healthy last season following an injury-shortened 2024, the Bulls entered the bowl season – Brown did not play in USF’s bowl game – leading the nation in plays of 40-plus yards (28) and touchdowns of at least 40 yards (17). Brown, who will spend his final season of eligibility on the Plains, became the 12^th player in FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 yards in a season.

Brown is surrounded by familiar faces as seven assistants/staff members joined Golesh at Auburn from USF, including OC Joel Gordon. Four of the Bulls’ top five receivers and seven overall, including a tight end, also made the move. So did Hewlett, who attempted one pass (a TD out of punt formation) in his lone game as a true freshman. The Florida native had several offers from power conference schools before opting to attend USF and play for Golesh. He has four seasons of eligibility.

Oklahoma State

Coach: Eric Morris | QB: Drew Mestemaker

Morris brought his big three playmakers to Stillwater: Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins and receiver Wyatt Young. Not to be overlooked in a trio of offensive linemen, including left tackle Braydon Nelson. Mestemaker completed his redshirt freshman season leading the nation in passing yards (4,379), passing yards per game (313), yards per attempt (9.5) and was fourth in pass efficiency. It added up to the Mean Green, which played for the American Conference championship and finished 12-2, leading the nation in scoring with an average of 45.1 points per game.

Led by the aforementioned trio of stars, Morris has the key pieces in place to elevate Oklahoma State into once again being an offensive juggernaut, which it was for years under Mike Gundy. Mestemaker is the latest example of quarterbacks Morris has developed in his career, a list that includes Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield and Cam Ward.

Memphis

Coach: Ryan Silverfield | QB: A.J. Hill

Another coach that left the American Conference brought one his quarterbacks with him to Fayetteville. Though the sample size was small, Hill delivered. He rallied the Tigers to victory in his collegiate debut after starting quarterback Brendon Lewis left a game against UAB due to injury. In the Gasparilla Bowl against NC State, albeit with the game decided and not in his team’s favor, Hill looked sharp in relief of Lewis. Those were the only two games Hill played, which qualified him for a redshirt and with four seasons of eligibility.

With Taylen Green’s eligibility expired, K.J. Jackson is the Hogs’ most experienced quarterback on the roster. He threw for 441 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson, who made his first career start in the season finale against Missouri, has three seasons of eligibility. Unless other moves are made, Hill and Jackson will be joined by a couple of promising recruits in competing for the starting role in 2026.

Coastal Carolina

Coach: Ryan Beard | QB: Deuce Bailey

Bailey was the primary backup to Jacob Clark as a true freshman at Missouri State last season. He shined in his lone start when the injured Clark was held out of a mid-season game against Middle Tennessee, and Bailey threw for 278 yards with a touchdown passing and running. That was his third and final game of the season, and joins Beard in Conway with four seasons of eligibility. All three quarterbacks who saw action for Coastal last season – Tad Hudson, Samari Collier, MJ Morris – are either in the portal or have committed to another program.