Iowa State tight end Ben Brahmer hopes to continue producing big plays at Cincinnati

AMES — What can tight end Ben Brahmer do for Iowa State’s offense?

Almost everything, apparently.

“I think what makes Ben unique is he is a great football player,” said Cyclone football coach Matt Campbell, who will try to use the massive and multi-talented Brahmer in creative ways in Saturday’s 11 a.m. road matchup (ESPN2) with Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium. “Ben could probably play wide receiver, running back, you know, probably could play quarterback if you needed him to just because he’s one of those guys.”

Brahmer stands 6-foot-7. He weighs 255 pounds. He’s already caught a single-season career-high three touchdown passes through five games — and darn near threw for one in the 14th-ranked Cyclones’ (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) rout of Arizona last week at home.

Brahmer’s debut as a trick-play “quarterback” came with 8:16 remaining in the third quarter. Facing second down and 12 at the Wildcats’ 46, Brahmer took a handoff from ISU’s actual quarterback Rocco Becht, set himself, and looked downfield.

His first option, transfer receiver Chase Sowell, was covered, so Brahmer checked down to his No. 2, cocked his arm and fired toward a sprinting Brett Eskildsen — who secured the 45-yard catch and went down at the one-yard line.

“I mean, that was pretty good,” Campbell said after the game.

No kidding. It also turned out to be the longest completion by a tight end in Big 12 history — and the Cyclones scored one play later.

So maybe Campbell’s onto something with regard to Brahmer’s quarterbacking ability? Maybe not, his star junior tight end said with a smile, but they had worked on the play and hoped to unveil it on game night.

“I was throwing to Chase the whole week in practice, the outside receiver, and I barely saw Brett out of the corner of my eye,” said Brahmer, who leads the Cyclones in touchdown catches this season. “Kind of forgot there was another route. He was just the clear out, and I barely saw him in the corner of my eye so I just threw it up there.

“It wasn’t a good ball, but I got it there.”

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Talk about being one’s own worst critic — but Brahmer is happy to nit-pick his history-making hit in the passing game. That’s because he’s been heathy all season after struggling with injuries in 2024, and when he’s on the field, good things tend to happen for ISU’s offense.

That’s a trend the Cyclones obviously hope continues on Saturday against the slightly-favored Bearcats (3-1, 1-0) and a defense led by former ISU linebackers coach Tyson Veidt.

“They’re really physical defensively,” Brahmer said. “We obviously know their defensive coordinator. He’s a knock down, drag out guy who instills that physicality and that toughness, They’re just gonna sprint around and we’ve got to practice physical this week so we’re ready for it.”

Cincinnati’s defense has been vulnerable against the pass, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete an astounding 74 percent of their throws. And the Cyclones’ passing offense continues to evolve as transfer receivers Chase Sowell and Xavier Townsend become fully healthy and well-versed in offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s creative scheme.

Sowell, a 6-3, 210-pound junior from East Carolina, broke out with four catches for a single-game career-high 146 yards last week. Townsend, a 5-11, 195-pound junior, totaled a single-game career high 92 receiving yards in the previous week.

So they’ve emerged as potent big play threats along with Eskildsen, and tight ends such as Brahmer and former Cedar Rapids Prairie star Gabe Burkle, who’s made two touchdown grabs this season.

“It definitely makes a defense’s eyes go a lot of different places with a lot of different weapons,” Brahmer said. “So it’s awesome to have them in the receivers room making plays.”

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And vice versa. Becht leaned on Brahmer, Burkle and fellow tight end Tyler Moore early in the season. Defenses adjusted accordingly, and now Sowell and Townsend have carved out strong niches along with Eskildsen, Dominic Overby and a handful of other receivers.

“I think people are looking past us, and we’ve got a really good football team over here,” Sowell said. “People don’t talk about us enough.”

They are talking about Brahmer’s big throw, though — and how it might help unlock even more high-octane elements in Mouser’s offense.

“It’s just awesome to go out there and have fun playing football,” Brahmer said. “Have fun playing the game we all love.”

Comments: robgray18@icloud.com