The bowl game

So does anyone have a clue who the starters are for this game on either side? You would think with so many opt outs that the announcer would have actually gone down through the starters at each position for us.
 
It turned out not to be "a meaningless game". We got to see much more of Grunk, we saw Martin in action, and now have a better idea of the talent going forward.
If they stay. Grunk is most likely gone. Dixon was saying he was a Terry guy, and wish he was the head coach, so who knows with him and others.
 
If they stay. Grunk is most likely gone. Dixon was saying he was a Terry guy, and wish he was the head coach, so who knows with him and others.
The thing with Grunk. Other than the Iowa game, his QB ratings were superior. Composed, intuitive, accurate. If one year rental Becht is the new coach's guy, then he'd better be able to perform. Otherwise, the honeymoon could be over. There is a lot for Campbell to think about.
 
If they stay. Grunk is most likely gone. Dixon was saying he was a Terry guy, and wish he was the head coach, so who knows with him and others.
Can you provide a quote on Dixon? The quotes that I saw looked very positive on returning. Grunk isn't most likely gone IMO. He is most likely our starter.
 
Rocco Becht at home against ASU. A loss, even with Jeff Sims at QB for ASU (Leavitt was injured). Becht went 18 for 36, 1TD/1Int, 97 rating.
Yes, it's one game, but it was home against a middle of the pack ASU defense.

Also, 18 for 32 against the lowly Buffs, 0/1, with a 100 rtg

Buyer beware.
 
Rocco Becht at home against ASU. A loss, even with Jeff Sims at QB for ASU (Leavitt was injured). Becht went 18 for 36, 1TD/1Int, 97 rating.
Yes, it's one game, but it was home against a middle of the pack ASU defense.

Also, 18 for 32 against the lowly Buffs, 0/1, with a 100 rtg

Buyer beware.
We are definitely bringing in a portal QB. I still think our starter is on our roster. But we had a backup WR playing backup QB. We have depth issues. We need a competent backup for Grunk if for nothing else, to run practices more normally.
 
Can you provide a quote on Dixon? The quotes that I saw looked very positive on returning. Grunk isn't most likely gone IMO. He is most likely our starter.
Becht was Matt's QB for 3 years, so he knows his system. Now Campbell has seen both play up close, it would be so interesting to hear which QB he thinks is better. I guess we will find out soon enough.
Dixon is a Terry guy so hopefully he stays.

 
Becht was Matt's QB for 3 years, so he knows his system. Now Campbell has seen both play up close, it would be so interesting to hear which QB he thinks is better. I guess we will find out soon enough.
Dixon is a Terry guy so hopefully he stays.


Hopefully Matt won't get off on the wrong foot by coronating Rocco Becht as QB. At minimum there needs to be a fair competition.

We all know what our eyes have seen over the last several games and against Clemson most of all. That stretch was Grunk's first serious chance and he made the most of it. He stepped up. He made throws. He hit guys downfield. He wasn't afraid. I mean, let's face it, he looked better than Drew

To just let this guy walk out the door now when he might well be our best option at the most critical position on the field for the next three years would be crazy. In my mind...and I think mine is the majority view of Nittany Nation (see link below)...he should be the presumptive starter next year.

 
Becht was Matt's QB for 3 years, so he knows his system. Now Campbell has seen both play up close, it would be so interesting to hear which QB he thinks is better. I guess we will find out soon enough.
Dixon is a Terry guy so hopefully he stays.

Thanks. Reading your previous post you seemed to imply that Grunk and Dixon are gone or leaning that way which is why I asked. Nothing in what Dixon said in the clip says that at all to me. Who knows what the decisions of everyone will be but I expect both back and both to be starting in 2026.

It's possible that Campbell wants Becht and then Grunk has a decision of compete and be patient if he doesn't win that competition. He would have to weigh 2 years of starting under Campbell who has track record of turning 3 star Brock Purdy into a top NFL starter and now 3 star Becht into a 9000+ yd passer in 3 years against a not entirely guaranteed 3 years of starting elsewhere. If he's thinking long term, there are few staffs with a better current track record at the position.
 
Hopefully Matt won't get off on the wrong foot by coronating Rocco Becht as QB. At minimum there needs to be a fair competition.

We all know what our eyes have seen over the last several games and against Clemson most of all. That stretch was Grunk's first serious chance and he made the most of it. He stepped up. He made throws. He hit guys downfield. He wasn't afraid. I mean, let's face it, he looked better than Drew

To just let this guy walk out the door now when he might well be our best option at the most critical position on the field for the next three years would be crazy. In my mind...and I think mine is the majority view of Nittany Nation (see link below)...he should be the presumptive starter next year.

Bringing in Becht doesn't have to mean running off Grunk.

1) There would be a competition for the job. Grunk may be good enough to win that.

2) Grunk will not be guaranteed to start at almost any top power 4 school. Look at Beau. He left to be the guy at Missouri and then was sharing reps until the other guy got hurt and then Beau got hurt and seems to have lost his job and is back in the portal. You would think this is a recent enough cautionary tale of someone that Grunk personally knows who transferred instead of waiting one more year.

3) Grunk has 3 years of eligibility. If Campbell brings in Becht and Becht wins the job and doesn't get injured like our QB1 did last year, then Grunk still would almost certainly get 2 years of starting. Also, he would get 3 years of development under Campbell who turned 3 star Brock Purdy into a top NFL starter and now 3 star Becht into a 9000+ yd passer. It is highly unlikely that Grunk could transfer to a staff that has a better current track record at developing this position. Essentially, Campbell is a huge upgrade at QB development over Franklin.
 
The issue with everyone saying we have Grunk for two more years if Becht is the starter next year is that Grunk is probably not looking at staying that long. He could be drafted next year if he has a good year. I think he wants to start next year and use that to put him in a similar situation as Drew this year, 1st round talk.
 
The issue with everyone saying we have Grunk for two more years if Becht is the starter next year is that Grunk is probably not looking at staying that long. He could be drafted next year if he has a good year. I think he wants to start next year and use that to put him in a similar situation as Drew this year, 1st round talk.
Possibly but especially at QB I think experience matters more than rushing off to the NFL. And with NIL, they don't have to do that. There is a higher probability of sticking in the league with more experience. QB is much more cerebral than just about all other positions. In positions like RB where the NFL window is not many years, leaving early makes the most sense. QB can have serious longevity if developed (look at Grandpa Rivers coming back this year).

I can see a QB who relies on elite athleticism like Lamar Jackson coming out early because he has to maximize the years where that style of QB play can be most effective. But Grunk is not that kind of QB. He's a guy that if developed well could have a longer NFL career by being more cerebral and accurate. I don't think he should be in a rush to get there. Many of the top NFL draft picks at QB have been 5th year guys and it seems that they have a higher probability of success in the NFL.

Just my opinion. There are positions I would get to the NFL as soon as you can reasonably do it and RB definitely is the one that jumps out with how they wear down. For those guys, get to the league and get to that 2nd contract. That's the goal. For QBs, I'd say maximize your development and increase your chances at sticking in the league when you do go.
 
No one seems to be talking about the fact that Becht announced for the portal before Grunk looked like a future NFL QB in the Pinstripe Bowl. It seems Becht didn't want to stay at ISU without the Campbell staff. After starting 3 seasons at ISU he definately wants to start his last season and he likely won't go somewhere that he doesn't have a clear path to start. So if Grunk wants to stay that may cause Becht to go somewhere else that doesn't have a talented QB to compete with. Lots of teams will be looking for QB's from the portal and Becht should have a number of options.

When the portal opens on 1/2 we may find that a number of teams are bidding for Becht.
 
No one seems to be talking about the fact that Becht announced for the portal before Grunk looked like a future NFL QB in the Pinstripe Bowl. It seems Becht didn't want to stay at ISU without the Campbell staff. After starting 3 seasons at ISU he definately wants to start his last season and he likely won't go somewhere that he doesn't have a clear path to start. So if Grunk wants to stay that may cause Becht to go somewhere else that doesn't have a talented QB to compete with. Lots of teams will be looking for QB's from the portal and Becht should have a number of options.

When the portal opens on 1/2 we may find that a number of teams are bidding for Becht.
There are quite a few teams out there that could use a competent QB, if not an elite one. Becht could end up anywhere and find success. Mike Elko should be having concerns about Marcel Reid. ASU needs to replace Leavitt. Do any other Big10 teams need a QB? And I see Chip Kelly heading of to NW as OC.
 
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