Iowa State QB Brock Purdy has been ‘on fire’ for weeks

AMES — Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy has been putting up video game-like numbers this season — especially since the Iowa game in week 2.

Purdy has completed 73 percent of his passes, which leads the Big 12 and is fourth nationally. He’s had four games where he’s completed better than 80 percent of his passes, which leads the FBS.

On Saturday, Purdy will lead the Cyclone offense once again against Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas (2:30 p.m., ESPN2).

“I think anytime that you talk about the point guard in basketball or you talk about the quarterback in football, there is a — it’s almost an art of when it's all clicking and what it looks like,” Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell said. “I think there's a flow state that you get to like the old NBA Jam game, right? Like, ‘He's on fire.’”

Purdy has been “on fire” since the Iowa game. He’s thrown just one interception since that game in early September and he is second in the Big 12 in passing yards per game. He leads the Big 12 in touchdown-to-interception ratio among quarterbacks who have started for the entire season.

“Sometimes when I think those guys get in that kind of rhythm that they have the ability, especially because they have the ball in their hands so much, that there's just a great flow to what the game looks like and feels like,” Campbell said. “I don't even know if I can explain it, but I think you can feel it and you can visually see it as it's happening.”

Take the second half against Texas last week. Iowa State could do no wrong.

Purdy was completing passes, running back Breece Hall was rushing for big gains and the defense was getting stops. The whole Cyclone team was in that flow state.

“I think as a coaching staff we're constantly trying to find ways to help our guys get there,” Campbell said. “Whether it's from my end, how we're practicing through the week. Do we have to get them out a little bit earlier? What do our travel plans look like? To in game, what's going on? Have we started slow or have we started fast? Are they doing something different?

“I think that's where (we) as coaches can be an asset to our players. How do we help them gain that flow state? Do we need to simplify? Do we need to be more complex? I think we're constantly challenged in that because I think you're always trying to help your 18- to 22-year-old young men try to be in that situation where they can play confident, they can play free thinking, and they can go play to their greatest ability.”

For Purdy, it’s not about hitting the home run play that gets him in the flow. He needs to complete a few passes and get Hall going in the run game to get there.

“That stuff gets me feeling good about what we’re doing within the scheme and the play calls,” Purdy said. “Sometimes when you’re not getting first downs, it’s like, ‘Oh shoot, what can we do to start getting a few?’ That's when you start pressing. Getting the first couple first downs is huge for me.”

Early in his career, Purdy pressed more and took more shots to receivers like Hakeem Butler. That worked with Butler because he was bigger, faster and stronger than every defensive back he played against. But Purdy’s learned if he takes what’s given to him and distributes the ball, it gets everyone in rhythm.

“I would say probably the biggest thing is that we have really good targets to complete passes to,” Campbell said. “I think where Brock has grown so much is, on any play the ball can go to anybody on the field.

“I think as the quarterback, the majority of time you want the ball to go to the open space on every play. And I think that's what you try to work really hard to get to and I think the older and the more veteran you get, I think, the more consistent you get the ball going to the right space on the field on the play that gets called. I think that's where Brock has really improved greatly.”

For Purdy, it’s all about efficiency. He could probably throw for more yards if he took a few more shots like he did as a freshman. But that doesn’t always help the offense’s rhythm.

“If we can get completions and be efficient in the pass game, that opens up Breece in the run game and it all just helps each other,” Purdy said. “When a quarterback is in a groove or in rhythm, then watch out if you’re a defense.”

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