UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State redshirt senior quarterback Rocco Becht was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List on Monday, while redshirt senior long snapper Blaise Sokach-Minnick was selected to the Mannelly Award Watch List.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at the Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official.
The Patrick Mannelly Award, created in 2019, benefits Bernie's Book Bank, a non-profit organization located in Lake Bluff. The award is named after Patrick Mannelly, a long snapper at Duke, who played 16 years in the NFL (1998-2013) with the Chicago Bears.
Rocco Becht · R-Sr. · QB · 6-1 · 210 · Wesley Chapel, Fla. · Wiregrass Ranch · Iowa State
- Was named to the Manning Award, Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Wuerffel Trophy watch lists in 2025.
- Named an Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee.
- Selected All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2024 and was Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2023.
- Earned second-team Freshman All-American honors from The Athletic.
- Named CSC Academic All-District in 2023 and 2024.
- Started 39 games and earned 26 wins at Iowa State, while leading seven game-winning drives.
- Ranks Top 10 all-time at Iowa State in consecutive games with a passing touchdown (22; 1st), passing touchdowns (64; 2nd), 300+ yard passing games (6; 2nd), completions (714; 3rd), passing attempts (1,177; 3rd), passing yards (9,274; 3rd), passing efficiency (140.2; 3rd), completion percentage (60.6; 4th), rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (19; t-1st), touchdowns responsible for (83; 2nd) and total offense (9,773; 3rd).
- Ended the 2025 season as one of nine FBS quarterbacks with 9,200+ career passing yards and 64+ career passing touchdowns and one of six FBS quarterbacks with 64+ career passing touchdowns and 19+ career rushing touchdowns.
- In 2025, completed 205-of-339 passes for 2,584 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, 116 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Blaise Sokach-Minnick · R-Sr. · LS · 6-3 · 216 · West Pittston, Pa. · Wyoming Area
- Tabbed to the Mannelly Award watch list.
- Follows Penn State Mannelly Award finalists Chris Stoll (2022) and Tyler Duzansky (2025). Stoll won the award in 2022.
- Appeared in six games, including two each in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- Majoring in kinesiology.
The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine in the game.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced on November 10, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled on November 24. The winners of the 90th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Thursday, December 10. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday, March 13, 2027 at the Coca Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ten semifinalists for the Mannelly Award will be announced on November 16. Those names will be narrowed to three finalists announced on November 30 and the winner selected at the live Mannelly Award ceremony in Lake Bluff on December 12.
Nittany Lions On Award Watch Lists
Rocco Becht - Maxwell
Tony Rojas - Lott IMPACT Trophy
Blaise Sokach-Minnick - Mannelly
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2026 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.