Petty leads ‘amazing’ Baylor attack into Jack Trice

AMES - When Paul Rhoads looks at what Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty does on the football field, one word jumps to him before all others: accuracy.

As the starting quarterback for the Bears (3-0) last season, Petty threw for 4,200 yards and completed 62 percent of his passes and is on track to have a prolific senior campaign after playing in just two of the first three games.

'I don't think anybody in college football gets the ball out of their hand quicker and from Point A to Point B faster than he does,” Rhoads said. 'Just amazing what he does with the football.”

Petty is without doubt the leader for Baylor's offense. The Bears lead the nation in points per game (59.3) and are third in passing yards per game (416).

Iowa State sophomore linebacker Luke Knott knows the back-seven of the ISU defense will have to be especially aware of the changes Petty will make on the fly.

'He's their commander out there and you can tell the offense runs through his calls before the plays and during the plays,” Knott said. 'He has a really good grasp of the whole Baylor offensive concept and he does a great job out there.”

Although he missed the second game of the season - a 70-6 win over Northwestern State - Petty has passed for 577 yards, completed 63.2 percent of his passes and tossed six touchdowns.

Rhoads said the ISU secondary will have to maintain a more offensive mindset when playing a team like Baylor because of Petty's accuracy, as well as the speed and skill of the wide receivers. That might be easier said than done when Petty is considered by Rhoads a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.

'I told Art that a year ago before the game that I thought he was better than the two previous (quarterbacks at Baylor),” Rhoads said. 'When you're facing players like this, as well as an elite team, it should bring out the best in you, and you've got to play your best in order to have a chance to compete.”

Baylor comes to Ames ranked No. 7 in the country and knowing it won, 71-7, against the Cyclones a year ago in Waco, Texas. But after the debacle last year and the first night game in Ames this season, ISU junior quarterback Sam Richardson knows how big of an opportunity this game is for his team.

'It's a night game in Jack Trice Stadium against a top-10 opponent,” Richardson said. 'It doesn't get better.”

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