Peterson: Who’s Iowa State’s QB2? Who’s the backup running back? Fans want to know
AMES — Finally, we can see the start of the college football season on the horizon. The actual what-happens-on-the-field stuff.
Iowa State’s annual media day is Tuesday. Game On.
Forget unsourced chatter about which teams from which conferences will follow the UCLA-USC move to the Big Ten. Nothing in that respect is likely to happen for a while, which leads me to this:
We asked The Register’s Cyclones Focus Group, also known as the community of people joining (and continuing to join) a text-message group for our loyal Cyclones subscribers, the following question:
With Iowa State’s media day at hand on what's expected to be a scorching-hot, 100-degree afternoon inside Jack Trice Stadium, what are actual 2022 football topics that most intrigue you?
More: How to join Randy Peterson's Cyclones text-message group
Only a couple of the more than 150 or so responses mentioned realignment and the state of college football. The focus group had real football-related thoughts on their mind. Here’s a sampling:
Fan's question: What's going on with the running backs? Is Jirehl Brock leading the pack, or is there a newcomer that will surprise us?
Randy Peterson's reply: Brock was No. 1 when spring practice closed, and I’m assuming nothing’s changed. The curiosity factor here is who’s No. 2 — Cartevious Norton, Eli Sanders or Deon Silas. Norton was an early enrollee who was injured most of spring. Sanders and Silas both played a little last season.
More: Peterson: Does Iowa State football have low expectations in 2022? Not if you ask them.
Fan: How does Iowa State and coach Matt Campbell take that next step? Do you feel confident that they can accomplish that in the next 2-to-3 years?
Peterson: The next step can be defined in many ways, but can the Cyclones consistently contend for the new Big 12 title? Absolutely, assuming the program’s status remains in place.
Fan: I would like to know more about the new faces on defense.
Peterson: The most intriguing is transfer linebacker Colby Reeder, a transfer from the Delaware football program who will be playing his fourth different defensive scheme. He’s one of the five or so most important players on this team.
Fan: Who's the favorite to win backup behind QB Hunter Dekkers?
Peterson: Absolutely that’s a storyline. Some days I think it’s Ashton Cook. Other days, I envision it being true freshman Rocco Becht. Cook, a walk-on from Iowa City Regina, is the son of former Iowa star tight end Marv, who played seven NFL seasons. Cook was No. 2 after the final spring workout.
More: Peterson: Observations from Iowa State's spring football workouts
Fan: One of the top storylines has to be who replaces Charlie Kolar's and Chase Allen's production.
Peterson: Will Iowa State play as many three tight-end formations as in the past? It’ll be interesting to see how that evolves. Allen and Kolar combined for 55 starts during their career. That’s considerable production to replace.
Fan: Who replaces safety Isheem Young’s physicality?
Peterson: Beau Freyler, who replaced the former Big 12 freshman of the year in the Cheez-It Bowl, received very good reviews during the spring. Freyler, a sophomore, led the Cyclones with 15 tackles in that game. His playing time was trending more than Young’s toward the end of the season, anyway. Young, by the way, is at Ole Miss.
Fan: The offensive line — how it compares with prior years. Can we expect a more vertical passing game? How much does Campbell want Dekkers to run? Is Jirehl Brock an every-down back like Breece Hall and David Montgomery, or is it running back by committee? What player or position group will be a surprise this season?
Peterson: Good points. I'll hit Campbell up about them on Tuesday.
Fan: Do low expectations equate to a better season than 2021?
Peterson: Check back in a couple months.
Fan: Two words: Kicking game.
Peterson: That’s something a lot of people have mentioned. They’re also wondering what new special teams analyst John Bonamego will provide.
More: How to join Randy Peterson's Cyclones text-message group
Fan: Is this the year Iowa State has a fast start?
Peterson: The Cyclones’ last 3-0 beginning was 2012 against Tulsa at Jack Trice Stadium, at Iowa, and at home against Western Illinois.
Fan: Which true freshmen will make the largest impact this season?
Peterson: Besides receiver Greg Gaines and Norton, keep an eye on place-kicker Jace Gilbert, the No. 18 kicker and No. 13 punter nationally by Kohl’s Kicking Camps. Is he the heir to Andrew Mevis?
More: Peterson: With Hunter Dekkers at quarterback, Iowa State football expects to air it out this season
Fan: What can Will McDonald do for an encore?
Peterson: You’re of course talking about the best defensive end in school history, a first-team All-American last season after tying for the Big 12 lead in sacks with 11.5. That broke his own single-season school record, by the way. He’s also the Cyclones’ career sacks leader (29.0), 12th in Big 12 history. Encore? Duplicating 2021 would be quite a feat.
Fan: Last year's team got over-hyped and did not perform quite to the level of the hype. This season, I believe ISU football will exceed lower expectations, with lots of young talent that’s ready to step up, mixed in with veteran leaders.
Peterson: Vegas set the over-under for wins at 6.5. I predicted 6-6 overall, and 4-5 in the Big 12. A repeat of last season would be all right, considering the newness of some starters.
Fan: ATTENTION: Dekkers Airlines now boarding. ATTENTION: Iowa State football now preparing for departure on Dekkers Airlines.
Peterson: That’s my favorite in the cleverness department. The fan, of course, is referring to Dekkers, who expects to be the first quarterback not named Brock Purdy to receive the Cyclones’ first game-opening snap from center since Zeb Noland on Oct. 6, 2018 at Oklahoma State. That’s a 46-game streak Dekkers will snap on Sept. 3 against Southeast Missouri at Jack Trice Stadium.
Game On.
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football fans offer their storylines for 2022 season
