Iowa State has detailed preperation for Texas Tech’s offense

AMES - Iowa State stomped Texas Tech last season, 66-10, on a cold November day in Ames. Red Raiders quarterback Pat Mahomes got injured early in the game and they failed to get their high-powered offense going after that.

The game on Saturday at 11 a.m. between these two teams won't be like the one last season.

Texas Tech quarterback Nic Shimonek is a senior in Coach Kliff Kingsbury's system and the Red Raiders have a new and improved defense, welcoming in a host of transfers.

The Red Raiders still average more than 500 yards of offense.

'It comes down to preparing for situational football,” ISU Coach Matt Campbell said. 'The tempo we can try to replicate to the best of our abilities because we'll play that way at times. It's because of what they do and the skill that they have in abundance and how they use it. I still think of preparation and detail of playing a team that uses high tempo and certainly gets a lot of snaps in a game, situational football becomes imperative to have success.”

It's that preparation and detail that's allowed the Cyclones to get out to their 4-2 start.

The biggest detail Iowa State works on is turnovers. The Cyclones are second in the Big 12 in turnover margin at +6.

It could be difficult to force turnovers in the Red Raider offense, given how many playmakers it has. It's not going to be up to just Brian Peavy and the defensive backs to jump routes and get interceptions. Iowa State needs a team effort starting with the pass rush.

'Whether we're bringing three, four or five, affecting the quarterback is something that makes the cornerback or defensive backs' day anytime,” Peavy said.

After that, it's reading, reacting and making the play - which is easier said than done against Texas Tech.

'With their ability to attack so many different areas on the field, horizontal, vertical, screen game that it takes everybody,” Campbell said. 'It takes really good discipline and how do we continue to change up what we do from snap to snap? Their quarterback's way too good to just sit in one coverage. It's going to be a tough and a long day if that's the expectation. We're going to have to be really multiple and change up our looks.”

Iowa State defensive coordinator Jon Heacock has said the best defenses have good offenses. If Iowa State's offense is on the field that means Texas Tech's can't be.

Quarterback Kyle Kempt needs to control the tempo and take care of the ball.

Kempt's job isn't to try to make big plays to keep up with the Red Raider offense. His job is to get it into the hands of his playmakers - receivers Allen Lazard, Trever Ryen, Hakeem Butler and Marchie Murdock as well as running back David Montgomery.

'He doesn't have to go win the game by himself, he just has to do a really good job of making great decisions,” Campbell said. 'That's his niche. He's a great decision-maker, especially in the heat of the moment.”

Offensive coordinator Tom Manning knows what his offense needs to do, whether or not this game is a shootout.

'If it's a shootout, we have to score more points, hopefully,” Manning said. 'If it's not, then we still have try to score more points than they do.”

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