Iowa State football's offense set to step into the spotlight
AMES – The setup is important, sure. Anticipation drives interest and intrigue, yes. Preparation is the key to success, absolutely.
Eventually, though, it’s time to show what you’ve got.
That time has arrived for an Iowa State offense attempting to rectify the failure that was the 2022 season.
The Cyclones will take the field Saturday against Northern Iowa (1 p.m.; ESPN+) with modifications made deliberately (coaching changes) and some thrust upon them (four starters lost to the state's gambling probe) with the goal to improve from last year’s debacle.
“I feel like it’s a different offense because we’re more detailed, more precise with what we’re doing,” wide receiver Jaylin Noel said. “It’s going to be an exciting offense to watch.”
Whatever the offense is, it has to be more productive than the one that was last in the Big 12 and 113th nationally in scoring offense and led to the departure of the offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and quarterbacks coach.
In steps rookie offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, whose first task will be to navigate a quarterback room that lost Hunter Dekkers to a criminal complaint and potential NCAA ineligibility for alleged gambling activity. That leaves redshirt freshman Rocco Becht and true freshman JJ Kohl in line to inherit the job – or share it.
“I would expect you’re going to see certainly both Rocco and JJ,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said Tuesday. “Would I feel like any one has separated themselves from the other? I would say now, no, but I think one of the things if you asked the kids in our locker room, our kids have elite belief in what’s going on at quarterback.
“I think we all do, too.”
Scheelhaase, though, will also have a new starting running back with Jirehl Brock leaving the team after being charged in the gambling probe. That leaves five players on the depth chart with limited experience, though with considerable upside.
"There’s a lot of talent in there,” Campbell said. “When the lights come on and the moments come, who’s going to be the guy that’s going to make the play?
“That stuff is easy to say right now, but when it gets hot and heavy, who’s going to be the guy?”
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Their production will likely be largely a big function of what kind of improvement the offensive line can make under new position coach Ryan Clanton.
“Keep it simple. Let them play fast,” Clanton said in August. “Everywhere I’ve been, it’s always helped to have guys fly off the ball and play fast.”
While Scheelhaase’s playcalling, the running backs’ rushing totals and the offensive line’s ability to move players off the line of scrimmage will be under the microscope Saturday, it’s the quarterbacks who will be most closely judged by the 60,000 or so in Jack Trice Stadium.
“At the quarterback spot, this ability to know thyself – it's critical because good things are going to happen, bad things are going to happen,” Campbell said, “and it’s almost this ability to re-center yourself really fast, that’s where success can happen.
“Both of those guys have shown the ability to really grow in that way. They come from a great foundation of that, but their ability really since the summer as these guys have started to ramp up their reps and their opportunities to grow forward, I think what both of them have possessed is this ability to have resiliency in the moment.
“To fail and yet have the humility to fail forward and learn from it and grow from it and not make the same mistake twice.”
Becht and Kohl are expected to get the majority of the snaps against the Panthers, but junior college transfer Tanner Hughes may also see the field for special situations.
Ultimately, though, the offense may only go as far as Becht or Kohl – or maybe Becht and Kohl – can take it.
“What’s been fun is to watch those guys really grow over camp,” Campbell said. “I think coach Scheelhaase has done a great job with that group, and I think that group has grown immensely, maybe as much as anybody since where they were at the start of the summer until now.”
Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football to unveil offense after offseason changes, tumult
