Oct 25, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) is tackled by Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Carson Willich (14) at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
AMES — Every time Iowa State linebacker Carson Willich raises a question, first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit’s eyes light up.
Willich — who chose to stay in the Cyclones’ program after Matt Campbell left for Penn State — has fully morphed into sponge mode, desperately seeking to grow both personally and collective in Bobbit’s aggressive four-man-front-based scheme.
Hence the senior’s many questions. And hence his status as one of the most “consistent” performers for Bobbit in the early stages of spring ball.
“Really good intellectual curiosity I would call it, where he’s always taking it one step farther,” said Bobbit, who along with head coach Jimmy Rogers and several other assistants joined ISU’s program in early December after spending one season at Washington State. “That makes the group better and that makes me better as a coach.”
That it does, but maybe Willich and some of his more inquisitive teammates can tone it down just a bit?
“They’re probably pretty mad at me sometimes for how many times I bother them (with) questions, but, honestly, to be your best you’ve gotta do what it takes to be the best,” joked Willich, one of nine Cyclones with between one and five career starts under the previous coaching staff. “I’ve learned that. I want to be the best on this defense. I want to be the best defense in the country, and with that, it takes time. You’ve gotta learn this stuff. Like, preparation, confidence — all that stuff comes with it.”
Bobbit welcomes all queries, so he’s not remotely “mad” when his eclectic mix of fresh and familiar faces on defense pipe up in an effort to fully grasp the scheme and their respective roles within it.
“Having a new roster, reinstalling everything like everyone’s a freshman, getting coaches on the same page, that is the fun (part), because of the challenge of trying to get everyone to the level of which we want to be — and coaching at that standard, and playing at that standard,” said Bobbit, who helmed the nation’s 15th-best unit in terms of total defense last season (299.5 yards allowed per game). “So it’s been a ton of fun and as you can tell by my voice, it’s a little hoarse just in terms of screaming and yelling and trying to be loud and getting in on the action to coach the guys up and get back out, so the voice is struggling a little bit, but it’s been fun.”
It’s certainly been a blast for Willich, a 6-1, 225-pounder from Blue Springs, Mo., who’s battled injuries much of his ISU career. Playing behind a four-man front allows him and the other linebackers to play with more freedom than in the past at the WILL spot.
“Our linebackers, in comparison to what he’s been playing in previously, are allowed to scrape more, play at depth more, and trigger on things,” Bobbit said. “Maybe (they’re) not as much ‘hole pluggers,’ as they maybe were last year and previously within that scheme. So I think he’s gonna have a lot of opportunities to make plays. It definitely fits him.”
So does Willich’s ability to be a willing questioner — but it wasn’t always that way. With maturity comes humility, and instead of thinking he knows the answers, now he’s constantly seeking them.
“My freshman year, I was probably a little bit more (hesitant) to ask questions,” he said. “I thought I kind of knew everything, and looking back on that now, I regret that, because I realize — and coach Campbell taught me this back when he was here: You’ve gotta be curious. It starts with curiosity and knowing your job, knowing your role, knowing how you want to be as a player. I’ve taken that with me with this new staff. Like, just be curious to know how you can get better, how you can improve.”
So question away. There’s no limit. Just opportunities for growth.
“Ask for questions, ask for help,” Willlich said. “Like, be yourself.”
