One year ago, the system was brand new.

For the ISU quarterbacks, the growing pains were evident on the field.

Austen Arnaud and his backup Jerome Tiller combined to throw for 2,401 yards and 16 touchdowns, both of which were ninth in the Big 12.

Now, ISU offensive coordinator Tom Herman — who also doubles as the quarterbacks’ coach — said, the progression of his starter has brought the offense past the point where it was one year ago.

“I think we are, and I think the biggest thing is [Arnaud’s] play,” Herman said. “He’s playing with confidence right now; he’s playing with a little bit of a swagger. He’s playing calmer.”

Arnaud digressed statistically from 2008 to 2009, losing nearly 700 yards and a touchdown off his numbers in his first season in Herman’s spread offense.

Now that he’s been immersed in Herman’s system for another spring and fall camp, he’s expecting to carry a more experienced offense to better places.

“I’d say we’ve come a long way just because of … second year in the system, second spring, this will be my second fall,” Arnaud said. “We’re getting there.”

Arnaud is aware of the improvements that needed to be made.

However, during the practices leading up to the first action under the lights, judging that progression can be difficult.

“As a quarterback, I feel like I’ve gotten better, but you’re only as good as what you see on tape,” Arnaud said. “Last year, on tape, in the fall I wasn’t at my best, and this year I feel like I’ve gotten better along with the help of everyone else on my cast.”

Throughout the fall, Herman has expressed his concern with the quarterbacks’ accuracy on the field; something Arnaud struggled with last season. The senior’s completion percentage was 58.7 in 2009, ninth in the Big 12.

However, despite a “few hiccups” in Saturday’s scrimmage, the final practice of fall camp, Herman said the passing game had improved since the beginning of camp.

“The fact that we’re able to throw the football with a little more efficiency has put us over, as Austen would say, light-years ahead of where we were last year at this time,” Herman said.

Arnaud’s sophomore backup, Tiller, filled in for him during Iowa State’s historic win against Nebraska in 2009, and accounted for 376 yards of the team’s total through the air.

Unfortunately for Tiller, Arnaud’s near-permanent presence at the top of the depth chart has meant he’s faced less than ideal practice conditions. Despite normally running with backups, though, Arnaud said his understudy has looked “great” this fall.

“He doesn’t get the best of the looks because he runs with the twos, and some of those guys up front and some of his skill guys aren’t as good as the ones I’m working with,” Arnaud said, “but if Jerome were to step into my place, he’d be able to handle it.”

Herman said he’s evaluating the two quarterbacks differently based on the squads they practiced with during the fall.

While Arnaud was judged heavily on production, Tiller’s evaluations swayed away from the yards he accumulated on the field.

“Sometimes he gets frustrated,” Herman said. “He’s got sometimes two or three freshmen O-linemen in there with him, and he’s got receivers that are all brand new to the system, so he’s not going to be judged on, necessarily, overall production. He’s going to be judged on decision making, game management and things of that nature.”

For Tiller, the carrot at the end of the stick is likely a starting role next season, following Arnaud’s graduation.

For Arnaud, the prospect of the offense’s production in year two under Herman is motivation.

“It’s very exciting to be in this position with me and Jerome, especially in this system, to have two quarterbacks who have experience and who have played,” Arnaud said. “Either one of us feels comfortable.”