As Iowa State prepares for a regular-season finale against the Drake Bulldogs, the Cyclones have not been swayed into thinking the game will be a cakewalk.

Coach Matt Campbell didn’t bite on multiple questions about which freshmen could see playing time, noting that the Bulldogs are “a well-coached team” under Rick Fox. The Bulldogs are 7-3 on the season in the Pioneer Football League, a non-scholarship Division I conference.

But there was still plenty to discuss from Tuesday’s availability.

Purdy good downfield passing

The Cyclones in recent weeks have been taking more and more shots downfield with freshman quarterback Brock Purdy, culminating in the Kansas State game, in which once a drive the Cyclone quarterback was launching the ball to either Hakeem Butler or Landen Akers.

Purdy has three touchdowns of 50-plus yards, with two going to Hakeem Butler and one to Tarique Milton.

Purdy’s total QBR among quarterbacks with over 150 attempts is fourth-best in the country, as Iowa State’s football account Tweeted out on Tuesday morning.

Campbell said he was impressed by Purdy’s accuracy with the long ball.

“What makes Brock a really good passer is his accuracy,” Campbell said. “Those [long] balls are catchable, they’re not all the same.”

Young and Payne injury updates

Iowa State’s injury streak in the secondary continued against Kansas State with D’Andre Payne joining Datrone Young in the injury room after suffering an ankle injury in the Texas game.

Campbell provided updates on both, saying that Payne had a chance to play against Drake and would likely be able to play without concern whenever the Cyclones’ bowl game takes place (the two most likely destinations at this time: The Alamo Bowl in San Antonio or the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, both of which take place on Dec. 28). As far as Young’s status was concerned, Campbell was frank: it might not happen for him this year.

“Datrone’s probably still a little bit up in the air right now,” Campbell said. “I think it’s that fine line of, ‘does he need surgery? When would you have surgery?’ Or is he a guy that’s not gonna need surgery and is gonna be ably to play?”

In his place, Arnold Azunna has taken a bigger role over the last two contests, including a coverage on Kansas State’s fourth-down play late in the fourth quarter.

Lawrence White said he was thrilled by the depth the secondary has had.

“It’s just made everybody step up,” White said. “It gets me pumped.”

Hakeem Butler chasing records

He may not be sure who has the best hands on the team after Sam Seonbuchner made a bold claim, but Hakeem Butler sure seems to know what he wants to do at the end of the season.

He wants Allen Lazard’s single-season touchdowns record and Lane Danielsen’s receiving yardage record.

The redshirt junior is one behind Lazard’s 2017 record of 10 receiving touchdowns, with nine through 11 games. He also has 1,059 yards, only 14 yards short of the school record set by Danielsen in 2002.

“[Allen] wanted me to break it, and I wanna break it,” Butler said jokingly of the record. “I don’t want people to remember Allen.”

Butler — who said he has not had any discussions with Campbell or anyone else over potentially exploring his NFL future after the season — also mentioned that he will not consider sitting out the Cyclones’ bowl game.

“I’ll play anybody,” Butler said.