Rocco Becht: 'Never a doubt' as Iowa State escapes Ireland opener

For Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht, Saturday's win overseas was about more than just execution. It was about trust.

Asked what has made the Cyclones so consistent in close finishes over the last two seasons, Becht pointed to culture. "I think it's the culture that we have, the connectedness and togetherness that we have as a team, and the confidence that we have in each other," he said. "There's never a doubt in the game when we're down, or when we're up, that we're not going to win. I think everyone has a sense of urgency that we're going to win this game or make the big play that needs to be made."

The sophomore quarterback said head coach Matt Campbell set the tone late, choosing to run out the clock rather than risk turnovers. "Credit to coach Campbell of just taking the win, and just kneeling it down and understanding, you know, get the win and get out of here," Becht explained.

It wasn't easy. Rain in the first half made it difficult to hold onto the football. "With the rain coming down, it was pretty hard to keep a good grip on it," Becht admitted. But the game plan gave him a chance to settle in. "We did a really good job of putting out plays that were short passes for me to get comfortable in the game."

Looking ahead, Becht emphasized that the offense must improve. "Honestly, I have to do a better job of not letting that happen because I want to win by more than that and not have the defense pull up a bunch of stops," he said. "As an offense, like I said, we have to collectively get better and not be in these positions come further in the season."

Iowa State returns home to face South Dakota next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on Fox.

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