Oct 7, 2017; Norman, OK, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Landen Akers (82) congratulates Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Kyle Kempt (17) after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
AMES — David Montgomery nodded approvingly. Allen Lazard followed suit, locking eyes with his new starting quarterback. Suddenly, twice-transferred and long-overlooked quarterback Kyle Kempt clutched the keys to Iowa State’s offense, and instead of white-knuckling them, he calmly positioned them to click perfectly into place, igniting a program-changing upset.
The date: Oct. 7, 2017.
The foe: No. 3 Oklahoma.
The outcome: A Kempt-led 38-31 comeback triumph in Norman that proved then-second-year head coach Matt Campbell could make the previously unthinkable eminently attainable.
“They’re sitting there trusting you and (Campbell) on Thursday is sitting there telling me, ‘We’re gonna put you in a position to win the game,’” recalled Kempt, now a quality control assistant coach for No. 9 ISU (6-0, 3-0), which hopes to make history again in Saturday’s 6:30 p.m. Big 12 matchup (FS1) with UCF (3-3, 1-2) at Jack Trice Stadium. “I’m thinking at the time, ‘Man, I’m just trying not to screw this up,’ but here the head coach is telling me, No, you’re gonna put us in position to win the game. You’re one of these 11 guys.’ It just went to show (me), like, man, if that guy has faith in me, I can have faith in myself.”
Faith forges trust. Unlikely heroes (like third-string walk-on linebackers) emerge from the shadows. And the term “underdog” becomes a badge of honor, not a dismissive swipe of the hand. Kempt’s career was cut short by an injury and, as a redshirt senior in 2018, he was eventually replaced by a guy named Brock Purdy. But he’s been a part of the program ever since, serving as a graduate assistant and now in a quality control capacity for the Cyclones’ potent passing game.
“I would say he has the toughest job on the field with us quarterbacks because if we have a bad play or a good play, he’s the one that’s got to keep us level-headed, and consistently play through the failures and the ups and down,” said ISU standout sophomore quarterback Rocco Becht, who hopes to help his team start 7-0 for the first time since 1938. “So I love Kyle. He’s just been there for me the whole time.”
Kempt is the on-field liaison for quarterbacks coach Jake Waters, who communicates with Becht via in-helmet electronics. The trio — along with longtime Campbell staffer and first-year offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser — form a brain trust that expertly navigates the mental and physical challenges playing the quarterback position entails. Kempt’s experience in guiding the 26-point underdog Cyclones past the Sooners seven years ago merges with his keen mind for the game. It’s his job to comb through football at all levels for potential new plays and present them at staff meetings.
“It builds staff cohesion,” Kempt said of the collaborative approach Mouser instills in the room. “Every voice is valued and it does matter. No idea is too outlandish. No idea is too simple. And it helps us, especially as young coaches, to grow and learn the game from different perspectives.”
From a competitive perspective, ISU’s program has never been better. The Cyclones are 13.5-point favorites on Saturday against the run-heavy Knights, but they’ve never shed their underdog mentality. And for good reason. ISU exceeded expectations in 2020 by reaching the Big 12 championship game and notching its first New Year’s Six bowl win over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. The Cyclones then failed to meet high expectations in 2021, losing five one-score games en route to a 7-6 finish. As for this dream-like season? Stay tuned. The suspense is palpable, but so is the faith and burgeoning trust.
“We’re just trying to go out there and get a win for each other,” Becht said. “No matter what the noise says on the outside, or what the people say on the outside, we’re trying to play for each other as a team.”
Just like in 2017, when Kempt helped make history, planting ISU’s flag squarely on the Big 12 contenders’ map.
“I think Kyle’s been an incredible story every step of the way,” Campbell said. “Just like (defensive coordinator Jon) Heacock’s been, just like (defensive line) coach (Eli) Rasheed has been and how coach Mouser has been — Kyle’s been. And the word that keeps coming to (me) is servant-leadership. From the very start, that’s really who he’s been.”
