Matt Campbell Announces Iowa State Injury Updates as He Makes Rocco Becht Admission

Iowa State is off to a 2-0 start, dominating South Dakota 55-7 following their hard-fought victory over Kansas State in Ireland. With 61,500 fans packing Jack Trice Stadium, the atmosphere was electric. Matt Campbell’s team appears focused, now holding a perfect 10-0 record against South Dakota, with the defense only allowing 19 points total in the series. But injuries are starting to surface just as the team hits its stride. The question is, will Campbell let this disrupt the momentum, or will he push through and keep the Cyclones on track? Right now, it seems like he’s ready for the challenge.

It’s a tough stretch for Iowa football right now. Iowa State linebacker Carson Willich tore his ACL during spring practice, underwent surgery, and is not going to be on the field until 2026, barring an unlikely late-season return, according to Matt Campbell. The bad news didn’t end there. In Iowa’s opening game against Albany, running back Kamari Moulton got injured in the first quarter. He went back to the sideline in street clothes with his right arm in a sling and was out by halftime. Both are promising young players, and their absence before the season even started is a major setback for the Cyclones and Hawkeyes.

Adding to the woes, offensive lineman Bryce George was hit by injury during warmups before the game, becoming the first Hawkeye casualty on Saturday. But despite all the setbacks, Matt Campbell didn’t let it hurt his team’s momentum, and their win is proof of it. And he’s holding himself back while showing his trust in his team despite injury making a glaring impact. “I think we feel pretty good. You know, I don’t think anything is, you know, pressing or long-term by any stretch of the imagination. I think we’ve got to hopefully have a chance to be closer to full strength as we go into next Saturday for sure,” he said postgame to media. That’s a straight fact.

Even without Moulton, Iowa demonstrated its depth. Terrell Washington Jr., Xavier Williams, and Jaziun Patterson all contributed in the running game, providing the Cyclones with multiple options. Williams made an immediate impact, scoring a 3-yard touchdown. His first career score and Iowa’s first TD of 2025, suggesting how the running back rotation might look if Moulton were out longer. The team’s resilience and depth signaled to fans that the Cyclones could maintain their momentum even with key players sidelined.

But it wasn’t just the ground game that made an impact. As kicker Kyle Konrardy stole the show with a 63-yard field goal before halftime, setting new program and Jack Trice Stadium records. The kick looked good from 70 yards, exciting the crowd and concluding a dominant first half. Iowa State’s lead continued to grow, transforming the second half into an opportunity for backups.

On the other side, Alex Manske took over where Rocco Becht left off, running the offense well and making his own impact on a game that was already decided. On the ground, the Cyclones ran for 223 yards, with Dylan Lee leading the way at 81 yards, supported by Manske, Sama, and Easton Miller. Through the air, Gabe Burkle led the team with 84 yards and a touchdown, showing how balanced their passing attack has become. But above all it was Rocco Becht who grabbed the most headlines.

Matt Campbell shows immense trust in Becht’s gameplay

From the very first drive, Rocco Becht was on fire, connecting with Bret Eskildsen for a 66-yard gain and then finding tight end Benjamin Brahmer for the opening touchdown. Even after the Coyotes managed a tough 75-yard drive for their only score of the game, the Cyclones slammed the door and never looked back. Becht was nearly perfect before giving way to freshman Alex Manske, finishing 19 of 20 for 278 yards and three touchdowns, keeping Iowa State in command throughout.

After the first South Dakota touchdown, Iowa State responded immediately with a 15-yard wildcat touchdown run by Abu Sama, making it 14-7. The defense then capitalized on a USD turnover, intercepting a pass and setting up another Becht-to-Brahmer touchdown. By this point, the Cyclones’ offense was in full control, and South Dakota couldn’t contain the tight ends. Brahmer ended with 47 yards and two touchdowns, while Eskildsen had a strong showing with two catches for 77 yards.

That’s exactly why Matt Campbell couldn’t hold back his praise for him. As he said, “Now, you better have a quarterback that’s got the ability to facilitate that football to the matchups. And I think that was what I was really proud of today from Rocco: man, his efficiency was outstanding, getting the ball where the ball needed to go and getting into it in a really consistent fashion.”

Now, the biggest question for Iowa now is the health of its team as they head into next week. The Hawkeyes managed to beat South Dakota with their depth, but the long-term status of Moulton is a concern as they prepares for a rivalry game against Iowa. Keeping the backfield healthy will be a major priority for the cyclones.