Despite dealing with a multitude of ups and downs during the offseason, Iowa State’s chance to tune out the noise and start its season against University of Northern Iowa is finally here.
Heading into their matchup against the Panthers, the Cyclones still have some uncertainty in key positions. For the first time in recent history, the Iowa States backfield remains uncertain heading into the season’s first game.
Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell has stated that multiple quarterbacks could end up taking snaps for the Cyclones, including Rocco Becht, JJ Kohl and Tanner Hughes. Campbell has been impressed with each of the potential starting signal callers and the competition throughout fall camp.
“I think all three guys have had a really good camp; they’ve grown forward,” Campbell said. “I think we’re really excited for what that group looks like.”
No matter who takes snaps behind center for Iowa State, the play calling will look slightly different with new offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase at the helm. He will get his first go-around commanding the offense and possibly showcase a more dynamic approach compared to how the team has played with the past few seasons.
Another new addition for the Cyclones coaching staff, offensive line coach Ryan Clanton, should also offer a new presence in protecting the quarterback and setting up plays, which Iowa State struggled to find consistency in last season.
Clanton, who was formerly with the Panthers for the last five seasons, has revamped the offensive line, with each starter weighing in at over 300 lbs. While at UNI, Clanton helped the team establish a strong run game, which the Cyclones could desperately use considering the lack of collegiate experience at quarterback.
The tailback room also remains uncertain, with five players listed on the team’s depth chart as potential starters. The two who will likely receive the most carries, Eli Sanders and Cartevious Norton, are the only backs that saw action for the Cyclones last season.
Iowa State will likely use its swiss army knife of a running back room against the Panthers’ defense that, on average, gave up 153.4 yards per game last season.
Theo Day returns as UNI’s starting quarterback and had a solid year during his first season with the Panthers. He finished with over 3,100 passing yards, 30 total touchdowns and only six interceptions.
The Cyclone’s defense returns many of its impactful starters on the defense, most notably cornerback T.J. Tampa, defensive back Beau Freyler and linebacker Gerry Vaughn. If Iowa State’s defense returns to last season’s dominating presence, which sat atop the Big 12, the offense could find themselves in favorable positions to score.
This will be the 34th matchup between the Cyclones and the Panthers since their first meeting in 1899. Iowa State leads the matchup historically with 24 wins, including seven of the last 10.
UNI has recently challenged Iowa State in the last two affairs, including a back-and-forth matchup in 2019, which went into triple overtime when the Cyclones eventually pulled away.
The season opener for Iowa State will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium and can be streamed live on ESPN+.
