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    • Rocco Becht is leading Iowa State football, even if it isn’t easy
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    Rocco Becht is leading Iowa State football, even if it isn’t easy

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    AMES – Rocco Becht would probably have preferred to throw the ball across the entire field from a clean pocket on Saturday evening. The Iowa State football quarterback probably would have liked to complete 70% of his passes for 350 yards and a pair of touchdowns en route to an easy, quiet win.

    That’s how he would like to set it up.

    However, this being football, the clean and easy way is not always the winning way.

    So Becht had to do it in a different way.

    “Whatever I have to do to get the win,” Becht said, “I’m going to do it.”

    play

    Iowa State football Rocco Becht on his scrambling, mental toughness

    Iowa State QB Rocco Becht has always been mentally tough, but he showed a new wrinkle in his game after rushing for a career-high of 97 yards, 2 touchdowns.

    More: Hines: Iowa State football remains perfect with exciting win against UCF

    Becht had one of the most impressive performances of his career on one of his worst nights throwing the ball of his career. That is, when the most direct route to victory was blocked, Becht found another way.

    He ran for 97 yards and two touchdowns. He made incredible plays in the highest leverage moments. It made his 20-of-46 statistical line with two interceptions (both essentially pick-sixes) a footnote in the Cyclones’ come-from-behind 38-35 victory Saturday over UCF to remain perfect at 7-0.

    When things looked ugly, Becht’s ability to win shone through.

    “There was another guy here with similar qualities,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said, referring to the program’s most accomplished QB, Brock Purdy. “The reality is that you have to be mentally strong. The quarterback position – no one can tell me there is any other position in sports that is harder to play than this one.

    “It’s a great testament to him. As a quarterback, you don’t always win by throwing the football. There are times when you have to use your feet, extend the lines and put your team in a great position.”

    Becht simply didn’t have his best performance against the Knights. His throws were off target. His feet seemed to get happy in the bag. One interception was returned for a touchdown. The next one should have been, but UCF defenseman Braedan Marshall inexplicably dropped the ball at the 1-yard line (the Knights scored on the next play).

    That could have sent Becht into shutdown mode. Play it safe. Go to bye week. Live to fight another day.

    More: Iowa State football recovers from a 14-point deficit against UCF to remain undefeated

    Yes, right.

    Instead, it seemed to bring out the best of Becht.

    He looked for meters. He tried to keep the plays alive.

    “He looked like Mike Vick out there,” Jaylin Noel said, referring to the former NFL star.

    More: Hines: Iowa State football remains perfect with exciting win against UCF

    Facing a fourth-and-3 from the UCF 18, Becht looked like his helmet was going to be knocked off with his head in it as a UCF defender exposed himself. But instead, he slipped the bag, broke to the sideline and delivered a first down throw to Jayden Higgins.

    “That’s as good a play as I’ve seen in this stadium since I’ve been here,” Campbell said after 61,500 packed Jack Trice Stadium to watch the victory.

    The Cyclones scored on that drive, got a three-and-out from UCF and got the ball back.

    Becht picked up a fourth down with his feet. Then, on third-and-9, he pulled off another potential sack, firing 26 yards downfield to running back Abu Sama.

    play

    Iowa State coach Matt Campbell on Rocco Becht’s performance in UCF game

    Iowa State coach Matt Campbell shared his thoughts on quarterback Rocco Becht and his performance in leading the comeback victory.

    Three plays later, Iowa State scored again.

    “Those are championships,” Campbell said. “It’s on the line. Whatever the game was, it’s not perfect, and you have to extend the game, use your feet and put the team in the best situation to move forward.

    “Both plays, Rocco did it, and I think it says everything about who he is and what his character is.”

    Becht finished 20 of 46 (43.5%) for 274 yards, a touchdown and two picks. That statistic should belong to the losing quarterback. Not the man who was perhaps most responsible for the victory.

    Actually, it comes down to one single truth about Becht.

    “When we needed it, he risked everything,” Noel said. “He did everything he could tonight to help this team win.”

    Becht isn’t the perfect quarterback. It is not large in size. He doesn’t have a cannon for an arm. He is, despite Noel’s observation, not a great runner.

    But he’s a gamer. A winner. A man who will seek and accept any path to victory, no matter how bloodied and bruised he may be on the other side.

    More: Iowa State Football’s Jontez Williams wins game against UCF with interception, his fourth in a row

    “When you see a man like that put his heart on the line,” Noel said, “all we want to do is do the same.”

    Iowa State is not an incredibly talented football team. The Cyclones don’t overwhelm with their size and speed.

    They win by pushing their players to the limit on every down every week. Not to do what is easy or simple, but to do what it takes to win.

    If the quarterback can illustrate that, you have something special.

    Which, of course, the Cyclones are doing to match the best start in program history. We have the highest stakes football that Iowa State Football has ever had this coming month.

    Who knows how things will turn out, but I imagine the Cyclones, with Becht at the helm, will do what’s necessary.

    Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered cyclones for the Des Moines Register and the Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at [email protected] or (515) 284-8000. FFollow him on X at @TravisHines21.

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