Iowa State Football 2024 Preview | Iowa State Schedule Prediction

Intro welcome back to another episode of rock boys football Iowa State heading into 2024 just feels like one of those programs that not enough people are talking about as legitimate contenders in the Big 12 heading into the fall and you start taking a look at how this depth chart how this roster is built heading into 2024 this is exactly how Matt Campbell wants his Iowa State programs to look where you have multiple guys going into year four year five with in this Iowa State program you return 85% of your production from 2023 an Iowa State team that really hit it stride towards the back half of the 2023 season and I think most of all you just start going through this dep chart this roster and say you're checking a lot of boxes there are not a lot of holes in this Iowa State team I think the most intriguing conversation is not necessarily what the floor is for Iowa State it's a relatively High floor what's the ceiling for this Iowa State Offense team if everything comes together how dangerous can this Iowa State team be in 2024 that's what I want to dive into today before we doing as always just want to say thank you to you guys and for y'all who've been rocking with the fellas for the last couple years you know this is kind of my favorite time of the offseason where we get to dive into depth charts our schedule predictions heading into 2024 I would love to hear from you guys you want to drop your schedule predictions give your ceiling give your floor we'll chop it up in the comments section section and for the Iowa State fans if I miss some impact players that you think should be added to my notebook please let me know in the comment section I always learn a ton from you guys and without further Ado let's get into this one and I think you got to start on the offensive side of the football with quarterback Rocko back and this took pretty much everybody by surprise I think including Iowa State fans where you go back 12 months ago there was so much uncertainty around this Iowa State program with the gambling investigation obviously Hunter Decker is not going to be the quarterback in 2023 like most of us expected Roco Beck comes in and was one of the better quarterbacks in the Big 12 in the 2023 year you start diving into the numbers you dive into the film and say this is a quarterback that you could tell was just gaining confidence throughout the 2023 season finished with over 3,100 yards 23 touchdowns to only eight interceptions and you know as I kind of dove into the numbers of Roco back watch some games back this is a quarterback that can make some big time throws and I think what's most exciting for Iowa state is they didn't exactly take the leash off Rocko back that much in 2023 because he was a firste starter but you look at when he was targeting the football 20 plus yards down the field completed 45% of his throws now he only attempted 11% of his throws going 20 plus yards down the field what I'm most excited for is what happens when Iowa state has a little bit more confidence in Rocko heading into 2024 after he showed he's one of the better quarterbacks in the Big 12 and they take the leash off him a little bit they asked him to push the ball down the field a little bit more they ask him to make some of those high level throws that we all know he's capable of doing that's in my mind how this Iowa State team takes that jump heading into 2024 now you start taking a look at what's around Roco Beck let's start with the rushing attack which was not as good as we're used to seeing for Iowa State that's another reason where I think Iowa State can take that step in 202 4 they were outside of the top 90 in yards per carry you look at this backfield headlined by secondy year running back Abu Sama who averaged 7.3 yards per carry last year there is a lot of reason to believe that this Iowa State rushing attack is going to take a step in the right direction then you start taking a look at The Playmakers around Rock Ock at least in my mind this might be the most talented wide receiver room that we see Iowa state had in probably the last five years maybe outside of the year with Xavier Hutchinson I I look at Jaylen noell who I have to give the Iowa State fans a massive shot out this was 24 months ago heading into 2022 you guys were shouting him out in the comments section going into his sophomore year he's only gotten better and better going into his senior year he's coming off a season where you just caught for 820 yards and then you're throw in Jaden Higgins your your playmaker at the wide receiver spot a kid that averaged over 18 and a half yards per re reception in the 2023 year I look at the wide receiver room around Roco beckon say you got two wide receivers and and Jaylen and Jaden Higgins that legitimately could go for a thousand yards in the 2024 Seasons so I think the Run game gets better I think Rock OBC gets better going into year two as a starter and I think the wide receivers and all the chemistry that they were able to build in 2023 that probably only gets better as well and then you look at the offense line and say again this is exactly how Iowa State wants their offensive lines to look where you have a ton of guys that are going into their fourth fifth years of college football your only kid that's not going into his fourth or fifth year is Brandon black at the guard position who played some really good football as a true freshman in the back half of the Season don't get me wrong there were some growing pains with Brandon black as a true freshman which is certainly to be expected that being said you look at the last five games he only gave up one sack only four qu back Curry's this was a kid that hit his stride heading into the back half of 2023 you bring in a veteran tackle and Jaylen Travis from Princeton who had multiple big-time power for offers I look at this offensive line and say it's it's an experienced offensive line a lot of these guys have played together for the last couple of years that is how you want your offensive lines to look and quite frankly not a lot of power four programs have these kind of offensive lines with how active they've been in the transfer portal one thing that I think we're going to see separate a lot of offensive lines is the chemistry and continuity of offensive line units that have been able to stay together for the last couple years that's what you get from Iowa State on the offensive line so I start looking at the boxes that Iowa State checks I think they have a quarterback that can win at a very high level in the Big 12 and Rocko I think the rushing attack gets better they have difference makers at the wide receiver spot in an experienced offensive line that has played a lot of football together over the last couple of years I don't Defense know if there's a single box that's left unchecked for Iowa State on offense now I think the question is just how good can this unit be in 2024 you go to the defense and you kind of just start with trusting the Iowa State Defense they've been a unit that it really doesn't matter what the Personnel is they're always a solid ball Club on the defensive side of the football now you look at the secondary that is no doubt in my mind where the strength of this Iowa State unit is even losing a guy like TJ Tampa who was phenomenal in 2023 you look at Miles purchase I mean 15 pass breakups last year was targeted over 50 times only gave up a 52% completion percentage when you play opposite of TJ Tampa you're gonna get a lot of targets and Miles purchase was really really good you look at Jeremiah Cooper 10 pass breakups five interceptions a ball Hawking safety that just always seems to find the football when it's in the air this secondary is going to be very good for Iowa State my big question for the defense and I think this is probably the biggest question that you have for Iowa State in general in terms of what their sealing looks like how good can this front seven be specifically getting after the passer it was a problem for Iowa State in 20123 you look at their leading sacker it was J.R Singleton with three and a half sacks they only sacked the quarterback 3.5% of the time which was outside of the top 90 you look at when Iowa state has been their best on the defensive side of the football it's when they've had those Elite difference makers on the defensive line that can get after the quarterback like someone like Will McDonald you look at this Iowa State team specifically in that front seven you have a lot of guys that have played a lot of football right Jr Singleton Dominique orange that's a really really good unit on the inside I think the question is can Tyler or Joey Peterson kind of emerge as those five to seven sacks per season kind of guys because you look at Iowa State where they struggled it certain was not in the secondary and we don't have any question marks about the Iowa secondary heading into 2024 I think the big question is can this front seven manufacture just a little bit more Havoc a little bit more chaos and create some of those negative plays that win you football games I don't think it's coincidence that you look at all the top defenses across the country from the last five years it all starts on the defensive line in terms of stopping the Run getting after the passer can Iowa State's unit become that unit in 2024 is probably the singular biggest question mark about this Iowa State team heading into 2024 and you get into the schedule Schedule I think the schedule is really fascinating it's not necessarily an easy schedule but the first six seven games they're very getable for Iowa State so we're going to go through this schedule give wins give losses and then kind of highlight those tossup games you start at home against North Dakota if Iowa state is nearly as good as we think they're going to be that's going to be win I have that shawk game week two as being the biggest game on Iowa State schedule not only because it's a rivalry game but you take a look at how this schedule plays out if you can go on the road and beat Iowa become that winning culture program that we're used to see in Iowa State you can get hot right Arkansas State should be a win on the road at Houston should be a win Baylor at home should be a win if you can beat Iowa at at kennick Stadium week two there's a very good chance that Iowa state starts one two three four five potentially six and0 if you can go on the road to West Virginia and win that football game that's probably closer to a toss-up game because I do like some of the aspects of West Virginia that's a really really getable early schedule for Iowa State and why it's so important is it gets very difficult towards the back half of the season your last six games are not necessarily it's it's the gauntlet of the Big 12 right you look at UCF certainly a winnable game I love that you get UCF at home hopefully it's a little bit of a colder uh fall afternoon for Iowa State if you can win that game going into the buy potentially be an undefeated or a one lost team going into November which again is certainly a possibility I I just am excited to see what Iowa State can do in the back half because you look at how the big 12 is made up it there's really no easy football games I think the Big 12 is a very very deep conference that being said there's always winnable games there's no Georgia there's no Alabama on your roster where you're kind of just chalking a loss Texas Tech at home certainly a winnable game on the road at Kanas you're GNA play that at Arrowhead Stadium I'm a very big fan of Kansas but we know that's certainly a winnable game as well Cincinnati should be a win on the road at Utah is probably that game where it's hard to sit here early and say Iowa State's going to go on the road to Ryle Stadium one of the hardest places to play and win and then you get Kansas State at home to finish out which I have that game circled as I wouldn't be surprised if Iowa State Kansas State are facing off for a trip to the Big 12 championship and so I look at this Iowa State schedule and say if you can start hot and I get Iowa is not a conference game if you can win that game potentially start your season five six and0 and then get into this Gauntlet and just get hot win some of these toss-up games this is a team that I think the ceiling is probably around 10- two and I think the floor is relatively high at six and six I would love to hear your schedule predictions the comment section I have them going 8 and4 right now but I think the ceiling is 10 and two I think the floor is relatively high with a Bull game at six and six would love to hear from you guys in the comment section appreciate you guys rocking with the fellas again if yall do enjoy the content consider subscribing to the channel appreciate you guys we'll talk to you all later peace