Iowa State’s run through the Big 12’s quarterback gauntlet keeps rolling Saturday, and this one comes with another big arm on the other side.
Baylor’s DJ Lagway has spent his college career carrying the kind of hype that follows elite recruits everywhere, and now the 6-3, 237-pound quarterback looks like he’s starting to cash in on it. The former five-star is third in the Big 12 in passing yards per game at 278.5, and Iowa State first-year coach Jimmy Rogers sees a player who has taken real steps forward.
“He was recruited out of high school to go to Florida for a reason,” Rogers said. “I think he’s coming into his own.
I think you could see the growth in his game over the years. Really strong arm.
Big athletic player.”
That makes Saturday’s 11 a.m. matchup at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, another test for an Iowa State defense that has already seen plenty of the league’s top quarterbacks. The Cyclones (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) have already gone toe-to-toe with the Big 12’s best running quarterback, Michael Hawkins Jr. of West Virginia, and the conference’s most prolific passer, Drew Mestemaker of Oklahoma State, barely getting by in those games.
The tougher results have come against some of the league’s most complete quarterbacks. Iowa State lost to Noah Fifita of Arizona, Devon Dampier of Utah and Bear Bachmeier of BYU by an average of 21.3 points.
So the question now is how the Cyclones handle Lagway, who brings both arm strength and size to a Baylor offense that has plenty of other weapons around him.
“Going against the best of the best is only gonna make you better,” said ISU cornerback/nickel Seth Johnson, who ranks third on the team in tackles and is tied for second in passes defended. “You don’t want to go against lower-tier quarterbacks.”
Lagway’s numbers show a quarterback still finding the cleanest version of his game. He has completed 53.3 percent of his passes this season, but he has also thrown 13 touchdown passes against just four interceptions. That ball security is a big change from last season, when he threw 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for Florida before transferring to Baylor and seeking a fresh start at the school where his father, Derek, starred at running back from 1997-2001.
Baylor’s passing game has also been shaped by Gavin Freeman, who has emerged as the Bears’ top target after two seasons at Oklahoma and two more at Oklahoma State. Freeman has caught 35.4 percent of Baylor’s passes and has accounted for 34.9 percent of the team’s receiving yards.
That means Iowa State can’t just focus on Lagway and call it a day.
“They’ve got a good offense,” said Cyclone linebacker Beau Goodwin, who picked off his second career pass in last week’s 51-49 win over Mestemaker’s Cowboys. “I’ll just say that. They’ve got good speed, the tailbacks (and) receivers, so we’ve gotta do our best to match up and just do our job.”
Baylor’s defense brings its own challenge. The Bears rank second in the Big 12 in scoring defense at 15.3 points allowed per game and are also second against the run, giving up 99.4 yards per game.
“They’ve got a really stout front,” said first-year ISU offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl, who coached with Baylor interim head coach Joe Klanderman in five of his seasons at North Dakota State. “So for us, it’s leverage, it’s pad level, it’s simplicity equals velocity, and lets our guys cut loose and play fast.”
Iowa State also got an injury update from Rogers. Backup quarterback Connor Moberly will be out for “four weeks or so” after getting hurt in the loss at Arizona two weeks ago. Rogers added that linebacker and leading tackler Sullivan Schlimgen, who left last week’s win over Oklahoma State with a lower body injury, could be available at Baylor.
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