Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht talks to the media during the football team’s media day at Jack Trice Stadium on Friday, August 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. © NIrmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK
AMES — Once the play clock hits 15 seconds, the chatter stops.
Until then, Iowa State assistant coach Jake Waters is fully in current Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht’s ear via his in-helmet communication system.
“He gives us tips and reminders, which is huge for me,” said Becht, the Big 12’s 2023 offensive freshman of the year. “Just letting me know if maybe there’s a re-key on this play, with a read if we’ve got double motions — all that stuff is good for us. That and the tablets are good, so we’ve been working those tablets as well on the sideline in practice and I’m excited to see those in real game, live action. I think it’s gonna help us tremendously this year.”
Becht and all his fellow FBS quarterbacks will benefit from in-helmet communication for the first time this season per NCAA rules. The tablets are a Big 12-specific addition made possible by a “partnership” the conference entered into with Microsoft this spring. So major college football has finally gone high-tech — but it’s important to strike a balance between a feel for the game and poring over raw data.
“What’s too much and what’s not enough?” said Waters, a former standout at Kansas State and first-year quarterbacks coach with the Cyclones. “You don’t want to give him so much information and talk to him all the way up to the 15 (seconds), to where he can’t think and he can’t process things, but little tips here and there about things that I’m seeing and we’re seeing, or tips and reminders on a play or something like that — I thought that would have been great when I was playing.”
Now that era has arrived Waters will serve as Becht’s auditory tether to new offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, who will sit next to Waters in the coaches’ box to further ensure they’re all on the same page.
“The nice thing with Rocco having a year under his belt is he’s comfortable telling me, ‘I don’t like this, I don’t like that,’ and we’re able to talk to him on the headset (about it),” said Mouser, who’s also ISU’s tight ends coach. “We have little signals for stuff that they like and don’t like because they can’t talk back to us.”
Becht’s am did all the talking last season as he broke the Cyclones’ freshman records for completions (231), passing yards (3,120) and touchdown passes (23). The sophomore from Wesley Chapel, Fla., said he worked on his footwork in the offseason, which should help him be even more efficient this fall.
“If you mess up your footwork, it messes up your read (and the timing of the play — the timing of your action,” Becht said. “So that’s the biggest thing. I’ve worked hard on that. Coach Waters has pounded that into me, so I’m excited that I’ll be able to (showcase that improvement) soon, and hopefully be consistent in those areas.”
Becht’s the clear No. 1 quarterback for ISU for the first time entering game week. Last season, he shared a few series with J.J. Kohl in the week one win over Northern Iowa before fully securing the top job. Kohl – a former four-star recruit — is currently battling freshman Connor Moberly for the Cyclones’ backup spot.
“They’re growing every single day, too,” Waters said. “J.J.’s been here a bit longer than Connor. but they keep getting better every single day and (are) making good plays and making the right decisions. Knowing when (they) have a chance to be aggressive and then also when to make the right play. We say all the time in our room, we don’t always need to make the big play, we’ve just got to make the right play.”
Becht excelled in that area as last season progressed and threw 10 touchdown passes to just one interception over the final four games. Now he’s savvier and more vocal; more poised and fully in command of the offense.
“He can make every throw,” Waters said. “Accurate release. Can run. But the growth outside of (that) — the communication, the leadership, everything is going at a really, really high level right now.”
