Following the hiring of head coach Matt Campbell, Penn State’s QB room has been completely overhauled. Although it’s not short on talent, concern rose as the Nittany Lions’ spring practice started. The room already faces a tough blow, as transfer QB Rocco Becht is already missing live reps this spring. Now, another miss just doubles down on the blow for PSU.

On Wednesday, BWI reported that Penn State QB Alex Manske will miss spring ball due to recent surgery.

Although the exact information regarding surgery has not been revealed yet, Manske’s absence significantly thins PSU’s depth during spring camp. But this is not his first time dealing with a spring injury. Last season, during his true freshman year at Iowa State, he missed spring practice because he was recovering from a torn UCL in his right elbow suffered during his senior season of high school.

However, eventually, he returned for fall camp and appeared in 3 games for the Cyclones, completing 4 of 5 attempts for 28 passing yards before transferring to PSU. Considering that, it is expected he will be back in the summer. Still, with both Manske and Becht sidelined or limited, PSU is left with only a few QBs for live reps in spring practice.

That includes Connor Barry, a transfer from Christopher Newport, Peyton Falzone, a 4-star freshman, and Kase Evans, a 3-star freshman. In that case, Barry brings in both talent and experience. He developed into one of the nation’s premier Division III QBs, leading the Captains to their first-ever undefeated regular season in 2025.

The senior QB finished that season ranked second nationally in Division III passing efficiency and threw for a school-record 434 yards in a victory over Rowan. Now, while Manske’s injury opens the door for these QBs, his absence could cost Penn State in the future.

Penn State’s projected QB1’s current status

After a season-ending shoulder injury in 2025, Iowa State transfer QB Rocco Becht’s recovery timeline is the talk of the town. With expectations in State College rarely dipping below playoff contention, his health is already a central storyline. Here’s where Matt Campbell struck an encouraging tone when addressing the PSU QB’s progress.

“I think Rocco is a little bit ahead of schedule in terms of physically. He was able to get out and do some drill work,” said Campbell. “I think the biggest thing for him is he won’t get live reps. But I think things like 7-on-7, three over two routes on air.”

In the 2025 season opener against South Dakota, Becht set an Iowa State record by completing 19-of-20 passes for 278 yards. Before that, in 2024, he orchestrated 4 fourth-quarter comebacks, leading the Cyclones to their first-ever 11-win season. Probably that’s why OL Cooper Cousins didn’t hold back in his early evaluation, saying, “Rocco is awesome. He feels like a Penn State quarterback. Everyone loves Rocco. It’s like Mr. All-American.”

Now, while Becht’s leadership presence is already making waves inside the locker room, we will see how he performs when he takes the field at Penn State once he is fully healthy.