Film Study -- Rocco Becht Vertical Passing

[CaliLion79]

BECHT DEEP THROW VIDEO

See link above. Topic kind of piggybacks off that Tom Fornelli tweet from Friday about teams that throw downfield. Statistically, he's a better deep ball thrower than Allar and Clifford, and a lot of his has to do with his ability to efficiently process info pre-snap and post-snap and then take advantage of coverage vulnerabilities. 20+ yard throw stats on each guy:

Becht (39 Starts)
61-145
42.1 Comp. %
2,172 Pass Yds
20 TD
5 INT
44 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Allar (35 Starts)
38-94
40.4 Comp. %
1,218 Pass Yds
21 TD
3 INT
23 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Clifford (46 Starts)
60-180
33.3 Comp, %
2,189 Pass Yds
27 TD
10 INT
39 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

 

[Marshall2323]

Games comp% YDS TD INT Rating
Becht 42 60.7 9274 64 27 140.2
Allar 45 63.2 7402 61 13 142.7
Cliff 51 61.4 10,661 86 31 143.8

stats per sports reference CFB
You can massage stats to favor just about any side of an argument. My position is that many here owe Sean Clifford an apology, You know, the ones who booed him when he was introduced as a starter. The geniuses that claimed Allar should be named the starter the day he set foot on campus.

Based on these stats, my starting QB is Clifford. In the next 9 games, hopefully Becht can throw for 1400 yards easily, but will need 22 TDs to surpass Cliff while improving his accuracy.
It appears more passing yards and TDs are on the menu (compared to Allar) but buckle up for more turnovers.

 

[Wilbury]

Games comp% YDS TD INT Rating
Becht 42 60.7 9274 64 27 140.2
Allar 45 63.2 7402 61 13 142.7
Cliff 51 61.4 10,661 86 31 143.8

stats per sports reference CFB
You can massage stats to favor just about any side of an argument. My position is that many here owe Sean Clifford an apology, You know, the ones who booed him when he was introduced as a starter. The geniuses that claimed Allar should be named the starter the day he set foot on campus.

Based on these stats, my starting QB is Clifford. In the next 9 games, hopefully Becht can throw for 1400 yards easily, but will need 22 TDs to surpass Cliff while improving his accuracy.
It appears more passing yards and TDs are on the menu (compared to Allar) but buckle up for more turnovers.

Exactly right. "Coach Codutti" spent the better part of two seasons criticizing everything Clifford did and begged for Allar to get on the field. I guess he didn't understand that no matter the level of QB talent, they weren't going to be successful under Franklin.

 

[BobPSU92]

It won’t work out for us. Never does.

 

[PSU4U]

BECHT DEEP THROW VIDEO

See link above. Topic kind of piggybacks off that Tom Fornelli tweet from Friday about teams that throw downfield. Statistically, he's a better deep ball thrower than Allar and Clifford, and a lot of his has to do with his ability to efficiently process info pre-snap and post-snap and then take advantage of coverage vulnerabilities. 20+ yard throw stats on each guy:

Becht (39 Starts)
61-145
42.1 Comp. %
2,172 Pass Yds
20 TD
5 INT
44 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Allar (35 Starts)
38-94
40.4 Comp. %
1,218 Pass Yds
21 TD
3 INT
23 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Clifford (46 Starts)
60-180
33.3 Comp, %
2,189 Pass Yds
27 TD
10 INT
39 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Good Stuff. He will more resemble McSorely than the other two.

 

[Marshall2323]

Exactly right. "Coach Codutti" spent the better part of two seasons criticizing everything Clifford did and begged for Allar to get on the field. I guess he didn't understand that no matter the level of QB talent, they weren't going to be successful under Franklin.

Yes everything was Franklin's fault. Now we will have success at the highest level. Who is responsible for Becht's 27 interceptions? Franklin?

Good Stuff. He will more resemble McSorely than the other two.

As a passer you are probably correct. As an offensive weapon, Trace netted 1700 rushing yards while Rocco has 500.

 

[BobPSU92]

How is Becht‘s horizontal passing game? Has the offense mastered the screen pass on 2nd and 8 to set up 3rd and 9?

 

[TheBigUglies]

Maybe the former guy didn't allow long pass down the field plays because the OL couldn't block long enough and we saw what happened in Iowa when Clifford got hurt and the back QB was not prepared. They would play conservative rather then having the back up QB prepared.

 

[BCS PSU]

Yes everything was Franklin's fault. Now we will have success at the highest level. Who is responsible for Becht's 27 interceptions? Franklin?

As a passer you are probably correct. As an offensive weapon, Trace netted 1700 rushing yards while Rocco has 500.

If Becht is healthy, he's the least of my worries. He's a qb who's started a lot of games in a Power 4 conference and won a lot of them, and even led Iowa State, I repeat Iowa State, to a conference championship game. He's also beat a Big 10 team two years in a row, including on the road in 2024 on a last minute drive, that annually has one of the best defenses not only in the Big 10 but in the whole country. PSU certainly could've done a lot worse than having him as a starting qb.

 

[Marshall2323]

If Becht is healthy, he's the least of my worries. He's a qb who's started a lot of games in a Power 4 conference and won a lot of them, and even led Iowa State, I repeat Iowa State, to a conference championship game. He's also beat a Big 10 team two years in a row, including on the road in 2024 on a last minute drive, that annually has one of the best defenses not only in the Big 10 but in the whole country. PSU certainly could've done a lot worse than having him as a starting qb.

If Becht is healthy, he likely is the least of PSU's football worries. The discussion was statistics. I listed some stats that the op didn't include. Another poster compared Rocco to Trace. I agreed that their passing talents could indeed be similar, but the running abilities are nowhere near equal.
Becht did indeed lead ISU to a conference championship game. A 45-19 loss to then #15 Arizona State.
Drew Allar led PSU to a conference championship as well and PSU lost 45-37 to then #1 Oregon. As for stats, Allar's QB rating in that game was quite a bit better than Becht's in his conference championship game. So there is that. Many here laud Coach Campbell for averaging a 5-4 conference record at Iowa State for a decade. Is it because the assumption is that he accomplished this feat with little talent? Yet, he brought 24 players from ISU to PSU. Are they talented or not? Or do we want it both ways?

 

[Marshall2323]

How is Becht‘s horizontal passing game? Has the offense mastered the screen pass on 2nd and 8 to set up 3rd and 9?

this coaching staff will never face 3rd and long.

 

[Nitt1300]

If Becht is healthy, he likely is the least of PSU's football worries. The discussion was statistics. I listed some stats that the op didn't include. Another poster compared Rocco to Trace. I agreed that their passing talents could indeed be similar, but the running abilities are nowhere near equal.
Becht did indeed lead ISU to a conference championship game. A 45-19 loss to then #15 Arizona State.
Drew Allar led PSU to a conference championship as well and PSU lost 45-37 to then #1 Oregon. As for stats, Allar's QB rating in that game was quite a bit better than Becht's in his conference championship game. So there is that. Many here laud Coach Campbell for averaging a 5-4 conference record at Iowa State for a decade. Is it because the assumption is that he accomplished this feat with little talent? Yet, he brought 24 players from ISU to PSU. Are they talented or not? Or do we want it both ways?

We want it both ways- at least

 

[Marshall2323]

We want it both ways- at least

Both ways...kick offs too!

 

[BobPSU92]

this coaching staff will never face 3rd and long.

1st and unmanageable: Punt

 

[Marshall2323]

1st and unmanageable: Punt

Can you fake punt on 1st down? We finally have creative coaches.

 

[Nittering Nabob]

If Becht is healthy, he likely is the least of PSU's football worries.

What are your worries regarding 2026 PSU football as they prepare?

 

[Marshall2323]

What are your worries regarding 2026 PSU football as they prepare?

I don't worry about anything as a fan. If I had some sort of stake in the outcome of this season for PSU my concerns would be many (as they would be every season).
QB= Becht is experienced and brings 4 years of study of the offensive system. He should be among the top half of QBs in the conference, perhaps in the top 1/3,
My concern would be if he is injured. Mansa can't seem to stay healthy. Therefore, we don't really know what the future might look like if Becht goes down. (this concern would be universal in CFB)
I don't think the running back room is as accomplished as last year. Fatman is going to be hard to replace.
TEs are second to none.
WRs are OK 30-40 catches about what PSU got from their WR last year. Will they do better here? TBD
Improvement is likely, talk of 1,000 yd. receivers is a bit over the top.
Lots of potential on the OL.....but not as much depth as we've had the last few years. Also, not a great deal of experience working together as a unit,
DL- is bigger better? Not necessarily. DE- no proven pass rusher. I hope someone emerges quickly, otherwise a very good secondary can be made to look pedestrian.
LB- a very good group, but not deep with proven talent. Rojas, it seems has lost a great deal of time due to injury and played 2024 with injuries.
DBs- should be one of the best units in the conference.
Overall, considering this is one of the most experienced P4 rosters in CFB I think PSU can do very well with the extremely accommodating schedule. USC, Michigan and Washington are (on paper) the only contests where PSU will not be a double digit favorite. Each of those teams could conceivably lose 3 or more games (if you examine their schedules). The rub is this, is 10-2 good enough for the playoffs with your best wins being against 3 or 4 loss teams? So the schedule is on the surface beneficial, but could be detrimental in the end. In summary, my guess is that PSU will be somewhere between the 4th and 6th best team in the Big Ten. Likely behind Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana. Competing with USC and Michigan. As for record 9-3 should be the floor and 11-1 is possible.

 

[Bvillebaron]

Exactly right. "Coach Codutti" spent the better part of two seasons criticizing everything Clifford did and begged for Allar to get on the field. I guess he didn't understand that no matter the level of QB talent, they weren't going to be successful under Franklin.

Gee I didn’t realize Franklin was the QB coach during his tenure at Penn State. Interesting how Grunk had success with the same QB coach who “failed” Allar.

 

[Bvillebaron]

If Becht is healthy, he's the least of my worries. He's a qb who's started a lot of games in a Power 4 conference and won a lot of them, and even led Iowa State, I repeat Iowa State, to a conference championship game. He's also beat a Big 10 team two years in a row, including on the road in 2024 on a last minute drive, that annually has one of the best defenses not only in the Big 10 but in the whole country. PSU certainly could've done a lot worse than having him as a starting qb.

And they would have done better if they kept Grunkenmeyer.

 

[bbrown]

And they would have done better if they kept Grunkenmeyer.

Anything is possible but I will say that if Grunk stayed then I don't think we get either Rocco or Manske so IMO it was a good trade off and beneficial to all those involved.

 

[Bison13]

Gee I didn’t realize Franklin was the QB coach during his tenure at Penn State. Interesting how Grunk had success with the same QB coach who “failed” Allar.

so that means Franklin/Allar was the issue

 

[Marshall2323]

Anything is possible but I will say that if Grunk stayed then I don't think we get either Rocco or Manske so IMO it was a good trade off and beneficial to all those involved.

You have to respect Campbell's decision. It makes sense to bring a QB that you trust into such a transition. But honestly, the BWICAC will have the final say....depending on how the next 3 years go. I think the odds are that this season (short term) it will be graded favorably. It's 27-28 where it might get sticky.

 

[Marshall2323]

so that means Franklin/Allar was the issue

That's why they are both unemployed.

 

[Bison13]

That's why they are both unemployed.

at least by PSU

 

[BCS PSU]

And they would have done better if they kept Grunkenmeyer.

You have to respect Campbell's decision. It makes sense to bring a QB that you trust into such a transition. But honestly, the BWICAC will have the final say....depending on how the next 3 years go. I think the odds are that this season (short term) it will be graded favorably. It's 27-28 where it might get sticky.

In college football today, I wouldn't even think about future seasons because there's so much turnover with the roster from one season to the next for almost every school. It's all about the here and now, and then worry about the next season when it comes. It's a very real possibility that PSU's starting qb in 2027 and 2028 will be playing for another school in 2026.

Look at IU; they'll be starting their third qb in as many seasons, and they're the defending NC. Also, the runner up last season, Miami, will be starting their third qb in as many seasons.

 

[Marshall2323]

at least by PSU

Imagine working anywhere else.

 

[BCS PSU]

And they would have done better if they kept Grunkenmeyer.

What are the odds that Grunkemeyer is playing for another school in 2027? My guess is that they are pretty good.

 

[Marshall2323]

In college football today, I wouldn't even think about future seasons because there's so much turnover with the roster from one season to the next for almost every school. It's all about the here and now, and then worry about the next season when it comes. It's a very real possibility that PSU's starting qb in 2027 and 2028 will be playing for another school in 2026.

Look at IU; they'll be starting their third qb in as many seasons, and they're the defending NC. Also, the runner up last season, Miami, will be starting their third qb in as many seasons.

So much truth in what you are saying. I didn't say it was the wrong choice. I just predicted that if in 2 or 3 seasons Grok shines at VT and PSU has QB issues.....it will be a topic here. Such is 20-20 fan hindsight.

 

[BCS PSU]

So much truth in what you are saying. I didn't say it was the wrong choice. I just predicted that if in 2 or 3 seasons Grok shines at VT and PSU has QB issues.....it will be a topic here. Such is 20-20 fan hindsight.

Unless he was forced out by Campbell (I don't know whether he left for VT before or after Campbell was hired), he could've stayed at PSU and competed for the starting job, but it seems like that's not in vogue anymore.

 

[Marshall2323]

What are the odds that Grunkemeyer is playing for another school in 2027? My guess is that they are pretty good.

I'm sure many factors were part of the decision. With this schedule, you had to go with what you considered a proven "sure thing." Winning 10 or 11 games is huge for CMC right now. He may need that shine if recruiting continues to lag and the schedule goes back to normal. 27 looks tough and 28 perhaps even more so.

 

[Bison13]

What are the odds that Grunkemeyer is playing for another school in 2027? My guess is that they are pretty good.

If he does well I could see one of the top 10 teams go after him. Cignetti got to see him first hand, I could see him going after him next year

 

[Marshall2323]

Unless he was forced out by Campbell (I don't know whether he left for VT before or after Campbell was hired), he could've stayed at PSU and competed for the starting job, but it seems like that's not in vogue anymore.

Tough to think you are getting a fair shake when the new HC and OC bring in their 3 year starter. But perhaps a bigger factor was just how much NIL would be required to entice Rocco and then correctly compensate Grunk. We can pretend he wasn't forced out.....but Coach made his decision when he brought his QB in. No one should have a problem with that. I haven't heard Grunk complain, he knows the score.
Coaches make decisions and fans help them after the fact.

 

[DaytonRickster]

We want it both ways- at least

I don't worry about anything as a fan. If I had some sort of stake in the outcome of this season for PSU my concerns would be many (as they would be every season).
QB= Becht is experienced and brings 4 years of study of the offensive system. He should be among the top half of QBs in the conference, perhaps in the top 1/3,
My concern would be if he is injured. Mansa can't seem to stay healthy. Therefore, we don't really know what the future might look like if Becht goes down. (this concern would be universal in CFB)
I don't think the running back room is as accomplished as last year. Fatman is going to be hard to replace.
TEs are second to none.
WRs are OK 30-40 catches about what PSU got from their WR last year. Will they do better here? TBD
Improvement is likely, talk of 1,000 yd. receivers is a bit over the top.
Lots of potential on the OL.....but not as much depth as we've had the last few years. Also, not a great deal of experience working together as a unit,
DL- is bigger better? Not necessarily. DE- no proven pass rusher. I hope someone emerges quickly, otherwise a very good secondary can be made to look pedestrian.
LB- a very good group, but not deep with proven talent. Rojas, it seems has lost a great deal of time due to injury and played 2024 with injuries.
DBs- should be one of the best units in the conference.
Overall, considering this is one of the most experienced P4 rosters in CFB I think PSU can do very well with the extremely accommodating schedule. USC, Michigan and Washington are (on paper) the only contests where PSU will not be a double digit favorite. Each of those teams could conceivably lose 3 or more games (if you examine their schedules). The rub is this, is 10-2 good enough for the playoffs with your best wins being against 3 or 4 loss teams? So the schedule is on the surface beneficial, but could be detrimental in the end. In summary, my guess is that PSU will be somewhere between the 4th and 6th best team in the Big Ten. Likely behind Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana. Competing with USC and Michigan. As for record 9-3 should be the floor and 11-1 is possible.

Very good assessment. I like many of the experienced players so we shall see how that plays out. Many "ifs" for this team. I'm hoping for regular season record of 10-2, don't see 11-1; 9-3 should be the worst "IF" Becht can complete the season. If he is injured, like you, not sure about Manske at QB with limited experience. I am excited to watch this team and see how they mesh.

 

[PSUFTG]

BECHT DEEP THROW VIDEO

See link above. Topic kind of piggybacks off that Tom Fornelli tweet from Friday about teams that throw downfield. Statistically, he's a better deep ball thrower than Allar and Clifford, and a lot of his has to do with his ability to efficiently process info pre-snap and post-snap and then take advantage of coverage vulnerabilities. 20+ yard throw stats on each guy:

Becht (39 Starts)
61-145
42.1 Comp. %
2,172 Pass Yds
20 TD
5 INT
44 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Allar (35 Starts)
38-94
40.4 Comp. %
1,218 Pass Yds
21 TD
3 INT
23 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Clifford (46 Starts)
60-180
33.3 Comp, %
2,189 Pass Yds
27 TD
10 INT
39 "Big Time Throws" -- PFF Metric

Great.
Now Kirkie - and the rest of the copycat minions - can spend the next 5 years constantly blabbering about "verticality"

 

[Nitt1300]

What are the odds that Grunkemeyer is playing for another school in 2027? My guess is that they are pretty good.

What player couldn't you say that about these days? Just follow the money.

 

[Nitt1300]

And I prefer my QB to pass toward the goal line rather than vertically - which makes no sense at all if you think about it.

 

[Marshall2323]

And I prefer my QB to pass toward the goal line rather than vertically - which makes no sense at all if you think about it.

To be honest, if I had my way, a passing TD would be a 3 point play. Football has become a hybrid mix of soccer-lacrosse-basketball. I love to watch Army play and reminisce about playing the game as God intended. I think the year was 2011 and I was at PSU spring practice. I was introduced to George Chaump. Among his many coaching exploits, the backfield coach for Woody Hayes. What a legend and the stories he could tell. What a thrill.

 

[ApexLion]

If Becht is healthy, he likely is the least of PSU's football worries. The discussion was statistics. I listed some stats that the op didn't include. Another poster compared Rocco to Trace. I agreed that their passing talents could indeed be similar, but the running abilities are nowhere near equal.
Becht did indeed lead ISU to a conference championship game. A 45-19 loss to then #15 Arizona State.
Drew Allar led PSU to a conference championship as well and PSU lost 45-37 to then #1 Oregon. As for stats, Allar's QB rating in that game was quite a bit better than Becht's in his conference championship game. So there is that. Many here laud Coach Campbell for averaging a 5-4 conference record at Iowa State for a decade. Is it because the assumption is that he accomplished this feat with little talent? Yet, he brought 24 players from ISU to PSU. Are they talented or not? Or do we want it both ways?

Obviously, we want it both ways.

(that’s what she said)

 

[ApexLion]

So much truth in what you are saying. I didn't say it was the wrong choice. I just predicted that if in 2 or 3 seasons Grok shines at VT and PSU has QB issues.....it will be a topic here. Such is 20-20 fan hindsight.

Obviously!