Becht showed that ISU can be good passing team
AMES — We saw during the fourth quarter in Iowa State's loss against Ohio what can happen when Matt Campbell turns Rocco Becht loose. Nine passes. Six completions. More than 100 yards. In just one quarter of that 10-7 loss.
I wouldn't go so far as to say it was one of those star is born moments. It was more like Iowa State gets confidence that a vertical passing game will work — and that Becht is just the right guy to lead it, which he did Saturday in the Big 12 opener.
We saw that throughout the Cyclones' 34-27 victory against Oklahoma State at Jack Trice Stadium. We saw it with a 38-yard completion to Jaylin Noel for a touchdown in the first quarter. We saw it on a 32-yarder to Noel, and a 29yard touchdown pass to Daniel Jackson in the second quarter. We saw it on a 26yarder to Jackson for a touchdown in the third.
We saw it throughout Iowa State's confidence-builder of a game.
“Football is earned confidence,” coach Matt Campbell said after the game. “Our sport is one of those where it's so unique. You only play 12 games. The reality is you earn the right to be confident.”
It's a toss-up between who got the biggest confidence boost in this game, Becht or Jackson, who caught six passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
I'll save Jackson for another day. Saturday, Becht was the individual story of this victory the Cyclones desperately needed.
The redshirt freshman completed 27 of 38 passes for 348 yards and three touchdowns. He ran an offense that produced 422 yards. He didn't throw an interception.
“Rocco played an incredible game,” Campbell said. “His efficiency. The way he threw the football.”
Becht did all that despite Oklahoma State crowding many players as close to the line of scrimmage as possible.
“Ten guys in the box the entire game,” is how Campbell put it. “To get people out of the box, you've got to prove you can throw the football, (and) especially prove that you can throw the football vertically.”
Since the running game was absent during the first three games, Iowa State had to do something. Change to a passing game or risk having another not-sogood season. Become pass-happy temporarily until you show opponents that you can indeed also rush the football.
“Confidence-wise, with winning a Big 12 game — confidence is going to be high,” Becht said. “We always had plays where we can throw the ball. Last week, we realized what we were missing with this offense.”
They realized it in the fourth quarter vs. Ohio when Iowa State finally moved the ball — through the air. Passing worked then, and passing certainly was the reason the Cyclones enter next Saturday's game at No. 18 Oklahoma (4-0) on a Big 12 high.
“Yeah, the passing game was really good for us,” Noel said. “We went out there knowing the matchups we were going to get. It was just a matter of us winning those matchups. I felt like we did that.”
Indeed. When it came to passing, the Cyclones ruled the day.
“Rocco's best game I would say, given his ability to get the ball down the field,” Noel said. “We knew he could do that. No doubt about it. We've seen it in practice. We saw it in a game last week at Ohio — in the fourth quarter.
“What he did (Saturday) should give everyone confidence that we can throw the football.”
And let's not neglect the oft-criticized offensive line. As tough as it's been for them to run-block, Becht has been sacked just once in four games.
“I thought the offensive line came
out and played great,” Becht said. “This should build on their confidence a lot.”
So, what's Saturday mean going forward, as far as Iowa State's offense is concerned?
It's too bad for the Cyclones that the next game is against a team as good as the Sooners — and in their stadium, to boot. Sure, upsets can happen, and maybe Saturday will be that time again.
If it happens, I'll go out on a limb and say a Becht pass will have something to do with it.
“We'll see,” the quarterback said when I asked if he thinks the game plan will include even more passes. “I honestly don't know what they're thinking.”
No one's predicting the offense to become strictly passing. Saturday's totals were 34 rushing plays and 38 passes, so that's about as close to that 50-50 balance as you can get.
Everyone who watched Iowa State, however, is predicting that it's a possibility that Becht throws even more times next Saturday.
He showed Saturday that he has that capability. He showed Saturday, that he can be pretty darn good.
“As the head coach, you want to put your players in position to be successful,” Campbell said. “Rocco — the way he's played — he's just stacked confidence. All those things are starting to show up.
“You can see his confidence growing.” Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson is in his 51st year writing sports for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, and on X @RandyPete