Nov 9, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) leaps over Iowa State Cyclones defensive end Tyler Onyedim (11) at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Alright, Cyclones.
Iowa State’s had 36 hours to digest what happened in Kansas City on Saturday, with the team suffering a second straight loss and falling to 7-2.
Let’s talk about the Kansas game and what’s ahead.
Malik Verdon checked out of the game after playing five snaps
Fans should remember the 2023 Iowa State football season well. There were games when top defensive backs were not on the field, and Iowa State got carved up on that side of the football.
Think about Memphis’ offensive explosion in the Liberty Bowl in the absence of current Baltimore Raven T.J. Tampa and Malik Verdon. Go look at the Kansas game in Jack Trice where Jeremiah Cooper wasn’t on the field.
We’ve seen this before – an opposing offense keys in on, or sometimes simply takes advantage of an inexperienced player stepping in and it results in some big plays.
In this case, with Verdon taken out due to a hand injury, Kansas did exactly that, while implementing a really nice game plan that just beat Iowa State.
This defense is complex. It’s a reason that other teams have replicated it and a reason the system has been so successful over the years in Ames.
It requires defensive backs to play with a high attention to detail.
Redshirt freshman Ta’Shawn James got taken advantage of in that game. He wasn’t the reason Iowa State lost, nor was he the only one that got beat on some plays.
James is a young player, and the best way for him to get better is by being on the field. That’s the case for all the young guys.
The reality is that Iowa State has been dragged down all year by injuries. They were without defensive lineman Domonique Orange Saturday, too.
It’s hard to win when the top guys aren’t there. Trust Jon Heacock and his staff to do what they can to shore up this banged-up group, but unless they get some of those top guys back, it will be tough to make much improvment on the defensive side of the ball.
Bringing pressure
Iowa State rushed four down lineman a few times during its first drive against Kansas – something that wasn’t seen again the rest of the game.
It was notably the only drive in the first half where the Jayhawks failed to score, and it begs the question on if the Cyclones may pivot with three games left before the postseason.
This season in particular, and also in more recent memory, Iowa State has not sustained the success it had early in the Jon Heacock era in stopping its opponents behind the line of scrimmage.
Brent Blum had the stat on Sunday’s episode of Williams & Blum.
Iowa State’s tackle for loss finish nationally by year
2017 – 15th
2018 – 24th
2019 – 27th
2020 – 17th
2021 – 38th
2022 – 55th
2023 – 80th
2024 – 110th
That was evident on Saturday, and the few times where Iowa State did down Kansas before it reached the line of scrimmage, it was due to the unit bringing pressure.
Coach Matt Campbell was asked why the defense didn’t pressure Kansas more, and he essentially amounted it to the unit being beat on early downs.
“It’s hard to pressure the quarterback on 2nd and 1,” Campbell said.
There’s no telling what Iowa State will do, but with injuries piling up, it needs to find answers quickly.
The case of Rocco Becht
As with what comes with any loss, some fans have started to question the redshirt sophomore quarterback that has led Iowa State’s offense the past two years.
But that’s not what was wrong with the offense Saturday – the one that scored 36 points with 461 yards.
Obviously, he wasn’t perfect – and it for sure can be argued that he hasn’t had a ‘perfect’ performance all year, but he shouldn’t have to be.
Becht missed on a couple of throws during the day. There’s the obvious overthrown on Stevo Klotz in the end zone, and another pair that were actually caught by Jaylin Noel that may have been touchdowns had he led his receiver a bit better.
But Becht finished with 383 yards Saturday. He had three touchdowns and had to force a pass that led to the pick six in the fourth quarter as he tried to lead a miraculous comeback.
Maybe Iowa State isn’t in that spot without the false starts it had Saturday. Maybe it looks different with tight end Ben Brahmer and left guard Dylan Barrett on the field.
Then, you’ve got to look at the blitz pickups and the issues there since the UCF game.
Point being, even with those hiccups and inconsistencies, Iowa State still put up the solid offensive performance it did Saturday.
Around the Big 12
The Cyclones’ Big 12 championship hopes certainly took a hit over the weekend.
With Colorado (5-1) and BYU (6-0) earning wins – both in rather controversial fashion, Iowa State no longer controls its own destiny to make the Big 12 championship game.
But there may not be a better conference to be in with the current situation than the Big 12 – more on tiebreakers and those situations later this week.
Utah’s Athletic Director dragged the Big 12 for a call late in the Holy War
We watched this game after getting back to the hotel in Kansas City, and boy, did it live up to the billing.
It came down to a controversial defensive holding call as BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff was thrown to the ground on 4th down, which would have given the win to Utah had the call not gone against them.
BYU ended up taking the automatic first down and driving into field goal range in four plays.
Now, there were made calls and missed calls throughout the game, and the one that went against the Utes was a pretty rough one to make in that spot.
After the game, Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan came down on the Big 12 Conference saying that he was, “Excited about being in the Big 12, but tonight I am not.”
Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan saying he’s “not happy” that Utah is in the Big12 directly after losing to their biggest rival BYU is the most little brother, Utah move of all time: pic.twitter.com/ntxG4X2eFT
— Sherman Young Jr. (@ShermStu_2) November 10, 2024
Had Harlan not come down on the Big 12, and had Utah fans not chirped at fans of the conference as much as they did before the season, folks may have been more sympathetic to his argument.
And I haven’t been able to really ‘confirm’ if this unsportsmanlike penalty was due to Harlan, but if it was… man, what a blow.
You know what would have been even funnier than whining about a legitimate holding penalty?
How about imagine if Utah did have a miracle touchdown return but it’s called back because the unsportsmanlike conduct was caused by Mark Harlan being on the field during the play? pic.twitter.com/Y40g5VnDxu— Greg Welch (@ArtDirectorBYU) November 10, 2024
BYU’s got Kansas at home in the late night window on Saturday, while Iowa State fans will be rooting for Utah to upend Colorado.
Colorado got another win in a heated game with Texas Tech
Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes got themselves another win, with plenty of tension surrounding the stadium.
There were fans throwing water bottles and tortillas, the BS with Colorado not wanting to work with a random T-shirt company in Lubbock leading up to it, and everything else that seems to accompany games against CU.
The most alarming thing in all of it is referees that can’t handle players celebrating when they make big plays.
Deion Sanders was livid that Texas Tech fans were throwing half full bottles and beer
The ref responded with: “Well your players are blowing kisses after they score”
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) November 10, 2024
Anyways, Colorado looks all the part of a team that’s built something and greatly improved. Arizona State is cooking something up and will be a big threat if Cam Skattebo is able to get healthy.
Along with the start of the basketball season, the madness should only be crazier the next three weeks. Buckle up.
