Algona’s Alex Manske attempts a pass during a football game at Lions Field on Friday, September 29, 2023 in Clear Lake. © Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
Iowa State’s quarterback for the 2025 recruiting class will make things official on Wednesday, signing is letter of intent to play for the Cyclones.
For Alex Manske, the four-star prospect, his choice became clear when he was in College Station for a visit to Texas A&M.
“The moment that I knew when I wanted to commit to Iowa State was when I was down at Texas A&M. They had like, the biggest and nicest facilities. They have everything there. I was at Texas A&M and I was still thinking about playing for Iowa State. So, that was when I kind of knew and I think like two weeks later was when I committed.”
Manske is rated as the No. 25 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class by 247 Sports’ composite scale.
He chose Iowa State over Iowa, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska and Pittsburgh.
“It’s just like everything about the program, honestly,” Manske said. “The coaching – I think Iowa State’s coaches are some of the best in the country both developmentally on the field, and also off the field they just really care about you as people.”
Manske grew up an Iowa State fan and played his high school football at Algona, where he led his team to a 6-0 start this season.
“I grew up an Iowa State fan, so I always dreamed about playing for Iowa State when I was a little kid,” Manske said. “That’s kind of hard to pass up when you’re so close to it, I would say.”
In the team’s seventh game of the year against No. 2 Humboldt, Manske helped Algona to the lead before exiting the game with an injury.
“When I hurt it, I knew I did something bad,” Manske said.
The quarterback had torn his UCL, an MRI confirmed, forcing him off the field for the remainder of the year.
Manske had surgery in mid-November and said that his recovery process was going well. He’s on track to be more than 100 percent when fall camp rolls around ahead of the 2025 season.
Although he’s been on the sidelines, Manske has gotten a front row seat to Iowa State’s 9-2 season so far, and is routinely there during games at Jack Trice Stadium watching his future team.
“It’s been really exciting, just because Iowa State’s not known to get the biggest recruits,” Manske said. “Just to see them have success with what they have just shows how good of a culture that Matt Campbell has built there. It just fires me up and I can’t wait to get down there.”
Manske will enroll early over the winter months and start his preparations with Iowa State quarterbacks coach Jake Waters and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser.
“Me and coach Waters text almost every day,” Manske said. “They’re just really fired up and I feel like both coach Waters and coach Mouser really believe in who I am as a player and want to see me develop. Coach Campbell’s always had a lot of great stuff to say.”
Manske will sign, along with 16 others, as part of the 2025 class this Wednesday, December 4.
“I just cant wait to get to work and show Cyclone Nation what kind of class we have. I think this class is really special and I can’t wait to show everyone that,” Manske said. “I can’t wait to go battle my butt off and get better down there.”
