Penn State has college football's most experienced returning quarterback leading a room that has otherwise thrown five FBS passes. Which is why spring drills were so important to the position, and why the future beyond this season is so compelling. After taking the Penn State job in December, Matt Campbell quickly pivoted to his quarterback. It's easy to understand why Campbell went all-in on Rocco Becht. The fifth-year senior brings 39 starts and more than 2,500 career snaps to Penn State, where he seeks a College Playoff bid in his final season. Campbell has called the coach-quarterback bond elemental in football, and he shares one with Becht. “He's one of the greatest leaders I've ever been around,” Campbell said. “This poor guy had to play [last year] with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder. He had to get shot up every Tuesday and Wednesday just to practice the last four weeks, and the guy gave us every chance to win every one of those games, every step of the way. [He’s] as competitive as any football player I've been around.”But Penn State needs more than competitiveness from Becht this season. His health is the cornerstone of a playoff run, which is partly why Campbell was judicious with the quarterback's return from offseason shoulder surgery.So that leaves Penn State with several questions regarding the quarterback room, one of which it won't answer this season. What happens of Becht misses time, and how is Penn State developing for its future at quarterback?Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback coach Jake Waters talks with quarterback Rocco Becht (3) during the Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn ImagesThe Nittany Lions have three freshmen (two true, one redshirt) on the roster in Alex Manske, Kase Evans and Peyton Falzone. They also recently received a commitment from 3-star Massachusetts quarterback Will Wood for the 2027 class.If any of those three freshmen play significantly this season, then 2026 likely is a lost cause. Manske, a redshirt freshman, is the only Penn State quarterback who has thrown a pass in an FBS game. He went 4-for-5 in late action at Iowa State last season.However, Manske missed spring drills for the second year in a row, so his progress report is incomplete. Nevertheless, Campbell sounded positive that Manske returned to the team later in spring drills. He he had been recuperating at home in Iowa from an offseason procedure."Obviously with Alex, the good news of him coming back on campus, kind of trending in a really great direction for the start of fall camp, is huge," Campbell said. Meanwhile, the true freshmen looked like, well, freshmen during spring drills. Falzone and Evans had educational springs, according to Penn State's coaching staff, which produced the expected inconsistency.Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Connor Barry lines up in the backfield during the Blue-White Spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images"There’s youth [at quarterback], and that youth has had youthful days," Campbell said. "There’s been youthful moments, which is what you’re going to get from quarterbacks who should still probably be in high school. But those guys also have grown and will need to continue to grow forward."Which is why Campbell was thrilled that Division III transfer Connor Barry made the leap from Christopher Newport University to Penn State with less stress than expected. Penn State wanted to add an experienced quarterback from the transfer portal but knew that finding one willing to play a supplemental role would be difficult.So they scouted quarterbacks across multiple levels of the portal and landed on Barry, who was a Division III All-American and a semifinalist for the John Gagliardi Trophy. Barry led the offense in live scrimmage reps and did enough for Campbell to feel better about the room following spring practice."I think Connor's done a great job," Campbell said. "I think that for the room in general, it will have paid big dividends for Connor to get those reps to kind of know what he can do. I feel like by the time we get to fall camp, we should be a lot better quarterback room than maybe what we were throughout the spring."As for the future, Penn State is thinking short-term. Becht and Barry will be gone after this season, potentially leaving a room with a very low snap count entering the 2027 season. Penn State did not start, or even sign, a roster quarterback under James Franklin. But the Nittany Lions might need to scout the portal next season for a rental if the room doesn't expand its development over the next year.Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Connor Barry (17) looks on from the field during the Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn ImagesSign up to our free Penn State Nittany Lions newsletter and follow us on social media.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow