Sep 21, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive safety CJ Baskerville (9), defensive lineman Harvey Dyson III (33) and defensive back Macho Stevenson (12) celebrate after stopping Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo (4) in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
AMES — Don’t believe the stats.
That’s Iowa State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s message to his unit as the No. 11 Cyclones (7-0, 4-0) prepare to face Texas Tech’s bottom-of-the-FBS-barrel pass defense in Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. (ESPN) Big 12 game at Jack Trice Stadium.
“I think it’s a really, really talented secondary and there (have) been a lot of broken plays that have kind of led to that,” Mouser said of a Red Raiders’ defense allowing 308.3 yards passing per game. “I think the stats are a little bit skewed in terms of what the pass defense is, because they make a lot of plays.”
Mouser makes a good point. Even though Texas Tech (5-3, 3-2) is allowing more passing yards per game than any other team in the country by a fairly wide margin, it does have a penchant for forcing opposing quarterbacks into making costly mistakes. The Red Raiders are tied for 16th nationally and third in the Big 12 in interceptions with 10 — and defensive backs C.J. Baskerville and Chapman Lewis have three apiece. So even though Texas Tech’s secondary’s been scorched for a Big 12-worst 19 pass plays spanning 50-plus yards, ISU quarterback Rocco Becht must be prudent while seeking opportunities to connect with top receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins on deep balls.
“They’re a team that does a lot of different stuff, on the back end and up front,” said Becht, who hopes to help the Cyclones start 8-0 for the first time in program history. “So they can confuse the line a bit, but I feel like we had a good practice (Tuesday) with scout guys giving us good looks. They’re fast. They’ve got a guy (in Baskerville) who has been there a while and knows the defense pretty well, and they have some pretty good corners we’re gonna go against, and we’ve just got to be able to play our game and have precision and detail — and for me to be on it. To just be on my game.”
The Red Raiders have lost two straight games and blew a 17-point lead in last week’s 35-34 loss at TCU. They also lost veteran starting quarterback Behren Morton to an upper body injury in the first half, but after positive medical reports, it’s within the realm of possibility he could play against ISU. If he can’t, true freshman Will Hammond will get his first start after going 10 of 15 for 121 yards and a touchdown while losing a costly late fumble against the Horned Frogs.
“They’ve had injuries (at the quarterback position in the past) and have had to persevere, and they have — even on Saturday,” said Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell, whose team is a 14-point favorite. “I’ve been so impressed with (Morton), and then he goes out. And (after) halftime, the first drive, (Hammond) goes 9-for-9, right down the field for a touchdown. This young freshman comes in and I think it just says how well-dedicated they are to teaching their system.”
That’s also true on the defensive side of the ball, where the stats don’t necessarily lie, but they do obscure how disruptive the Red Raiders can be.
“They’re a very opportunistic defense, so you have to be very specific on when you’re gonna push the ball downfield, and you have to make sure you take advantage of it, or they’ll take advantage of it and take the ball the other way,” Mouser said. “So I think it’s a really talented unit. I know the statistics might not say that necessarily, but I don’t get caught up in that and we don’t get caught up in that.”
INJURY UPDATE
Campbell said among the three experienced linebackers his team’s been missing most — if not all — of this season, junior Will McLaughlin is the closest to coming back.
“I think Will is a guy that hopefully within this block here, that we get a chance to get him back on the football field,” Campbell said of McLaughlin, who’s made more career starts (16) than any other linebacker on the roster. “I think that would be huge for Will and obviously a huge lift for our football team as well.”
Campbell also reiterated that sophomore tight end Ben Brahmer’s injury sustained in the win over UCF two weeks ago is not as severe as initially feared, and there’s an outside chance he may be able on Saturday.
“We’ll see if that’s the case,” Campbell said. “But (if) it’s not this week, I think it will be week-to-week from there.”