Rocco Becht praises Penn State culture under Matt Campbell: 'Last year, it wasn't really player-led'

Rocco Becht acknowledged there was a difference around Penn State’s football program under Matt Campbell. Not that Becht was at Penn State before following Campbell from Iowa State.

But gelling with his new teammates, it seems like there is a sense of renewal around State College. James Franklin was successful, but the act and tenure wore thin when Penn State fell short of a national title in 2024 and got off to a poor 3-3 start before his firing in 2025.

So when Becht told ESPN what it was like to be at Penn State at this point of the spring, borderline summer, he was honest. It was a stark contrast from Franklin’s program, from the QB’s perspective anyway.

“He wants to build a player-led program,” Becht said. “When you’re not all aligned with the same goals and expectations, you’re not going to win those big games. … Last year, it wasn’t really player-led and the culture just wasn’t always there. Right now, where we are, everyone is completely bought in.”

If there’s hype about a Penn State turnaround, Becht isn’t alone. New defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn sees the same thing under Campbell.

“But the more I talked to Coach Campbell, it reminded me of why I went to Penn State as a high school recruit,” Lynn said. “His vision for the program. … I just felt like, ‘Man, this guy’s a perfect fit for Penn State.’ The culture is going to be different. The atmosphere is going to be different — I just really wanted to be a part of what he was going to do here.”

Campbell wants his teams to be player-led in this era. It worked for him at Iowa State and if it works to an equal degree at Penn State, perhaps they can reach the mountaintop.

“I think that’s been what I love as a football coach, is the journey of building an 18-year-old young man to a 22-year-old man,” Campbell said, via BlueWhite Illustrated. “And I still think it’s still my favorite thing that I get the opportunity to do. It’s what I love about the mission of Penn State University, both academically, socially, and athletically, is this opportunity to take young men to men. And I think that mission statement from our vision of what we believe in building a football program, and obviously the mission at this program, when it’s been done in its finest hours, it stood for those integrity, character and excellence on and off the football field.

“So it’s still my favorite thing that we get an opportunity to do is help young people chase their goals and dreams on and off the field. And it’s been really rewarding to be on this campus and watch the mission of this university and what it stands for equally.”