Iowa State QB Rocco Becht's a "psychopath" in a good way as he seeks second straight Cy-Hawk win

AMES — Rocco Becht and Tamin Lipsey share the jersey number 3, a propensity to thrive in the face of adversity, and a demanding, but revealing class this fall.

It’s Communications Studies 3250: Nonverbal communication.

And it seems appropriate that Iowa State’s third-year starting quarterback, Becht, and its senior point guard, Lipsey, would be simultaneously putting that theory into practice.

“We’ve got to be able to have a couple more weeks of classes to be experts at it,” said Becht, who aims to lead the No. 16 Cyclones (2-0) to their second straight win over Iowa (1-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium. “But Tamin’s an awesome guy. … It’s an easy relationship you can have because we’re in the same position, just different sports, and you have a lot of stuff going on around you, where it’s easy just to talk to somebody who’s going through the same thing and have those easy conversations with one another.”

Becht seeks to become ISU’s first quarterback to win two games against the Hawkeyes since the legendary — and stunningly erratic — Steele Jantz accomplished the feat in 2011-12. He carries a career 53-to-18 touchdown-to-interception ratio into the Cy-Hawk showdown, which will be broadcast nationally on Fox — and he’s also “a psychopath,” according to the Cyclones’ offensive coordinator, Taylor Mouser.

That’s a compliment, by the way.

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“That guy’s better when all the air is sucked out of the stadium, everybody can barely see (or) stand up, and is about to puke, and that guy’s just nails,” Mouser said of Becht, who set a program record by completing 95 percent of his passes (19 of 20) in last week’s 55-7 rout of South Dakota. “The more we put on that guy’s plate, the better he is. The easier we try to make it for him, for whatever reason, it’s not.

“He’s better with his back against the wall. Like, the guy’s just nuts. And I love him, he’s great, and I’d die for him. He’s so trusted — and you always feel like you’ve got a chance with that guy.”

That’s because Becht — who has led the Cyclones to five fourth-quarter comeback wins in his career — has mastered the art of both verbal and nonverbal communication. His voice carries massive weight in the locker room, where he’s become an elite leader. His body language and unspoken words convey confidence, fearlessness and ruthlessness.

Hence the “psychopath” compliment, which hinges on his unwavering commitment to winning at any cost.

“He’s had the ability to just go to work and not worry about competition, not worry about the outside noise, but worry about himself,” said ISU head coach Matt Campbell, who seeks to beat the Hawkeyes for the third time in the past four meetings after starting 0-5 in this heated rivalry. “I think he’s a great reflector of our program. Not really worrying about anything outside of our walls. How do we just constantly pound away at the process it takes for us to become our best? I think as he’s grown with that, we’ve grown with him, and that part’s been a great joy for all of us.”

But there’s rarely much joy expressed when facing Iowa’s staunch defense — and ISU’s rushed for more than 100 yards just once in the past six Cy-Hawk meetings. That forces Becht, his offensive line, and deep stable of receivers to step up and take center stage, but that’s a position he’s predisposed to taking.

Campbell’s said on more than one occasion that he learned what type of quarterback he had in Becht when — while throwing up repeatedly because of a debilitation illness — he insisted on finishing the 2023 clunker at Ohio. The Cyclones lost that game, 10-3, but Becht had drawn a line in the sand. ISU is 19-7 since that vomit-strewn day, and Becht’s grit and ability to excise emotion from each game helps explain why.

He communicates by doing. Like a point guard under center. With the cruel precision of a closer with no conscience, doggedly determined to help the Cyclones beat Iowa at home for the first time in 14 years.

“I know it means a lot to the program, the fans — and we have to do our justice and come out here in Ames, Iowa, and win a game (for them) Becht said. “It’s been (a long time), but they’re a great team and we’re gonna have to play our best ball.”

Comments: robgray18@icloud.com