Thread for Iowa State commits and players following Campbell

Frank Lee said:
Looking at his HUDL highlights, he's got some moves and speed at getting to the QB. I'm not sure why his offers were what they were. Anyway, get him into S&C and take it from there.
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There must be more to the story. #8/9 in NJ and didn't have any real P4 offers till ISU offered doesn't make sense. Must be some baggage of some kind, or something. But if Coach Campbell loves him, we'll love him!!

Right now DE seems to possibly be the deepest position on the roster even with losing DDS and Fisher, but it is one of the likeliest positions for losses to transfers. Nice to have 2 DE's with size in the 2026 class that the new staff is putting together..... can't have too many edge rushers in today's football.
 
Frank Lee said:
Looking at his HUDL highlights, he's got some moves and speed at getting to the QB. I'm not sure why his offers were what they were. Anyway, get him into S&C and take it from there.
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Everything I read is that he has some serious filling out to do. Needs to add like 50 lbs so not going to be ready for probably a couple of seasons. Below is his profile but I read elsewhere that he's 6'6" at 210 lbs

2026 Football Recruits

247sports.com 247sports.com
 
Frank Lee said:
Looking at his HUDL highlights, he's got some moves and speed at getting to the QB. I'm not sure why his offers were what they were. Anyway, get him into S&C and take it from there.
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Main reasons are he's 210 (probably only 200 for real though) and didnt do the camp circuit. Redshirt, get up to 230, play specials as a RSFR then get up to 240 and be a rotation guy as a soph
 
Frank Lee said:
Looking at his HUDL highlights, he's got some moves and speed at getting to the QB. I'm not sure why his offers were what they were. Anyway, get him into S&C and take it from there.
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Frank, probably because of his lack of weight? Only 210 lbs. Probably a two year project player and all teams can use players that would be later developers.
 
GregInPitt said:
That's great news.

And another very positive "tip" given by Smith is the indication that Mack, Donkoh and Rojas will be coming back for 2026. A playmaker at Safety, a returning multi year starter on the OL, and the teams best and most athletic LB.
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Yeah, I hope he's right on the leadership take. Rojas's tweets seemed like he was a risk to portal. But perhaps he's seen the light.
 
Like Oklahoma and Alabama had last night, get a few of those big guys at DL. For that position, jamming things in the middle is more important than being quick and nimble IMO. The DEs and LBs can take care of the quickness stuff.
 
Frank Lee said:
Like Oklahoma and Alabama had last night, get a few of those big guys at DL. For that position, jamming things in the middle is more important than being quick and nimble IMO. The DEs and LBs can take care of the quickness stuff.
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Michigan's strength has been DL and OL for the last several years. If their coaching situation is still in limbo come portal time, perhaps we can find what we are looking for there?
 
GregInPitt said:
That's great news.

And another very positive "tip" given by Smith is the indication that Mack, Donkoh and Rojas will be coming back for 2026. A playmaker at Safety and excellent KO returner, a returning multi year starter on the OL, and the teams best and most athletic LB.
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Donkoh, Cousins and Shanahan should be a solid IOL next season. Time for J’ven Williams to step in to his high ranking as a recruit.
 
Bison13 said:
Donkoh, Cousins and Shanahan should be a solid IOL next season. Time for J’ven Williams to step in to his high ranking as a recruit.
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I'm surprised and disappointed that Birchmeier is leaving. I know his star ratings, not how well he performed in practice. But fewer snaps in 2025 than 2024 was disappointing. I was hoping next year would be his year. Maybe he doesn't think he'll get much PT next year if he stays. Or maybe he's not happy with his NIL/revenue share.
 
bdroc said:
Becht would only play one year. I'd hate to lose Grunk for 3 years.
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I'd hate to not have the best QB Campbell can put on the field for PSU and I'm looking forward to Campbell focusing on winning the next game of each season. Not doing that by just trying to keep a player that Campbell might not believe is as good (talent, experience, leadership) as someone he can bring in for the next season is what Franklin did at times. The best coaches put the highest priority on the next season while building for the future. I'm hopeful that Grunk would buy into sticking around and developing as a backup in 2026 and then being prepared to lead PSU to playoff runs in 2027 and 2028.

In the transfer portal and NIL era it seems there will be players that will say they'll only stay if they will be the starter. Gotta just let them follow their hearts and keep open competition which more often than not puts the best team on the field.
JMO
 
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Q: Just how good is Becht?
I just want to be sure there is better scrutiny than what the ecstatic 247, ON3, and Locked On talking heads gave us on Knowles and Kotelnicki back in the day.
 
Frank Lee said:
Q: Just how good is Becht?
I just want to be sure there is better scrutiny than what the ecstatic 247, ON3, and Locked On talking heads gave us on Knowles and Kotelnicki back in the day.
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Gook luck "making sure".

That what we have a coaching staff for. And why Franklin is at VT and Campbell is at PSU.
 
GregInPitt said:
Gook luck "making sure".

That what we have a coaching staff for. And why Franklin is at VT and Campbell is at PSU.
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So what's the point of this or any board? It's my concern or interest as a fan that people assume that Becht and not Grunk is the guy without ever watching any ISU games. I'm voicing that concern. Is your suggesting that Grunk wait his turn and prepare for 2027 coming from the coaches?
 
Frank Lee said:
So what's the point of this or any board? It's my concern or interest as a fan that people assume that Becht and not Grunk is the guy without ever watching any ISU games. I'm voicing that concern. Is your suggesting that Grunk wait his turn and prepare for 2027 coming from the coaches?
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No, I'm not not suggesting that. How would anyone know that? What I'm saying is that I believe the best case is Campbell finding a starting QB that is better than Grunk (who will be as a RS Soph with half a season's experience) and also having Grunk as a capable young backup QB with a half season's experience. And having a capable backup has significant value to the team, such that we don't see again this season what happened at Iowa a few years back when Clifford got hurt early in a domination of Iowa and then having the gameturning into a loss due to not having a backup QB.

But on an across the position philosophy regards I'm hoping that Campbell takes better advantage of the transfer portal to upgrade any position he can, more so than Franklin did for whatever the reason which limited NIL available likely was at least some part of the cause as evidenced by him getting 3 mediocre WR's last off season that really didn't upgrade the WR position at all evidenced tonight seeing Harrison Wallace on the field for Ole Miss. The PSU roster seemed littered with average WR's and what it seemed to need was at least 1 #1 type WR added and Franklin brought in none.

I don't believe any of us are as competent as Campbell and his staff in evaluating Grunk against Becht. Campbell and his QB coach have been evaluating Grunk during the bowl game practices and they surely know the capabilities and limitations of Becht. But if Campbell does bring in Becht I'm all for it as even if he's only as good as Grunk if he can get Grunk to stay as it will make the team better. And obviously Becht having started 3 years for Campbell in his and the OC that came with him's offense it would likely help the whole offense get in synch with the new offense quicker.

The stats for Becht suggest that Becht had his worst year in 2025. We do know he was injured and also that ISU had a better team overall in 2024 than in 2025.
 
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