2024 Recap
Iowa State enjoyed one of its best seasons in program history in 2024, going 11-3 and making the Big 12 Championship game. That was two more wins than the Cyclones had ever recorded in a season, and their No. 15 ranking in the final AP poll was the second-best finish in school history.
A big reason for Iowa State’s success was its passing game and pass defense. The Cyclones placed among the top 35 of the FBS in EPA per pass on both sides of the ball. While quarterback Rocco Becht and star cornerback Jontez Williams are back, there are some questions about whether the program can replicate that success after losing stars like cornerback Darien Porter and wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.
Biggest Strength: Stars at every level of the defense
Defensive tackle Domonique Orange and cornerback Jontez Williams are top-10 players at their respective positions in PFF’s rankings. Caleb Bacon played only one game in 2024 due to a knee injury, but he led all Power Five linebackers in PFF run-defense grade (91.3) in 2023.
Biggest Weakness: Will Rocco Becht be able to shoulder the load offensively?
Iowa State had one of the 25 most efficient offenses in America last year in terms of EPA per play, largely due to star receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Now that they’re both in the NFL with the Houston Texans, Becht will be forced to carry the offense much more as a redshirt junior. There are reasons to be pessimistic about his ability to do so, considering he earned a sub-70.0 PFF passing grade in 2024 and the Cyclones lost their two best offensive linemen from a unit that already ranked eighth worst in the Power Four (59.2 PFF grade).
Three Notable Transfer Portal Additions
- WR Chase Sowell (East Carolina): 70.7 PFF Grade
- EDGE Tamatoa McDonough (Yale): 80.6 PFF Grade
- EDGE Vontroy Malone (Tulsa): 69.8 PFF Grade
Three Notable Transfer Portal Losses
- DI Tyler Onyedim (Texas A&M): 65.4 PFF Grade
- EDGE Kenard Snyder (Texas State): 68.0 PFF Grade
- QB JJ Kohl (Appalachian State): 60.0 PFF Grade
▶ Watch: Iowa State Football 2025 Season Preview: Will They Make The Big 12 Championship Game Again?
Quarterback Spotlight: Rocco Becht
- 2024 Grade: 76.7
- Key Stat: 20 turnover-worthy plays (tied for third most in Power Four)
Overview: Flanked by future NFL receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, Becht led the Cyclones to their first-ever 10-win season and an appearance in the Big 12 Championship game. Though his PFF passing grade took a bit of a hit from the prior year, Becht became more of a rushing threat as the season progressed. With his top two targets gone, he will lead an inexperienced group of weapons in 2025.
Strengths: Becht is a gunslinger who has grown more accustomed to rifling passes deep downfield. Over the past two seasons, his 93.0 PFF passing grade and 31 big-time throws on 20-plus yard passes are top-25 marks in the FBS. Despite arm strength that’s closer to good than elite, Becht confidently fires passes downfield, particularly over the middle and to deep crossers. He also added a rushing element to his game in 2024, as his 80.8 PFF rushing grade and 42 first downs both ranked among the top 20 qualified quarterbacks in the nation.
Weaknesses: Becht’s flashes of brilliance are often contrasted by his frustrating lack of ball security. His 20 turnover-worthy plays last season were the most in the Big 12 and tied for sixth most in the FBS. Fifteen of his turnover-worthy throws were on targets less than 20 yards from the line of scrimmage. That number tied Becht for the most such turnover-worthy plays in the nation — and explains why he threw the second-most pick-sixes in the FBS last season.
Offensive Player Spotlight: TE Benjamin Brahmer
Brahmer wasn’t quite as effective in his sophomore campaign due to a leg injury that forced him to miss five games. But he still deserves a spotlight here for what he accomplished as a true freshman.
The former three-star recruit led all true freshman tight ends in receiving yards (352) in 2023. His 68.4 PFF run-blocking grade also placed 11th among Power Five tight ends. Brahmer presents a massive target to throw to at 6-foot-7 and is a very good athlete for the position, placing above the 99th percentile in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric in 2023. With Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel now on the Houston Texans, Brahmer could be Rocco Becht’s top target this season.
| Snaps | PFF Grade | PFF WAA |
|---|---|---|
| 216 | 58.8 | 0.02 |
| 266th | N/A | 91st |
Defensive Player Spotlight: CB Jontez Williams
The Cyclones enjoyed a double-digit win season for the first time in program history this past season, and that can largely be attributed to outstanding play from their wide receivers and cornerbacks. While Iowa State lost many of those stars to the NFL, the program returned a stud cornerback in Williams.
He allowed just a 19.6 passer rating into his coverage this past season, ranking fourth among all cornerbacks in college football. For reference, spiking the ball every play nets a 39.6 rating. Williams also placed third among Power Four cornerbacks in completion rate allowed (37.2%). He has phenomenal instincts in zone coverage and picked off four passes last year.
| Snaps | PFF Grade | PFF WAA |
|---|---|---|
| 650 | 81.1 | 0.26 |
| 138th | 31st | 19th |
Bottom Line
Iowa State likely won’t reach the high of 2024 and compete for a Big 12 title, but the Cyclones should still be able to field one of the better teams in the conference.
This news was originally published on this post .
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