After three weeks, Rocco Becht looked like the quarterback Penn State fans expected: experienced, calm, composed under pressure, and most importantly, steady. That all changed in a shocking Week 4 loss to Wisconsin. For the first time in a blue and white uniform, Becht simply had no answers for Wisconsin's defense. It seemed as if he was missing wide receiver Koby Howard, a rising star who made big plays in critical moments for the Nittany Lions this season, but was out with an injury for this game. After the game, when it came time to face his mistakes, Becht said what fans want to hear.
"I've got to be better for the offense. I’ve got to be better for this team," Becht said when asked to evaluate his performance in his postgame media availability.
"I can’t put us in scenarios where our backs are backed up and we’ve got to have a big play.”
The accountability from Becht may be refreshing for some fans who may have rolled their eyes at postgame comments from Matt Campbell. For many Penn State fans, Becht's attitude should be a breath of fresh air after the lack thereof over the past few seasons. Still, one cannot ignore Becht's worrying performance in the face of adversity.
Becht ended up completing only 12 of 29 passes for 129 yards and threw his first interception of the season. Against his non-conference slate, Becht was considerably more efficient. He passed for 751 yards, completed 70 percent of his passes, and had 9 touchdowns with no interceptions. Now, those numbers look like a facade to some Penn State fans. However, there may be a split of feelings amongst the fanbase about Becht. While some will say his performance was unacceptable against one of the weaker Big Ten teams on the schedule, others could be more lenient and say the absence of Howard played a key role in Becht's performance.
Whether or not that level of ownership is translated into success on the field remains to be seen. Still, Penn State fans should be happy at least someone is taking accountability for the loss.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Rocco Becht takes accountability for Penn State's loss to Wisconsin
