AMES, IA — The Big XII championship game will be a family affair for Iowa St. quarterback Rocco Becht. The Wesley Chapel native leads the Cyclones against Arizona St. as both schools vie for their first Big XII title.
"Mental toughness is what this team’s built on this whole season," The Wiregrass Ranch grad said after beating Kansas St. last week. "We’re going to continue to live by our standards and just continue to play our game."
Becht, a sophomore, led ISU (10-2) to the first ten-win season in program history. He says his motivation is sending the senior class out on a historic note.
"These seniors deserve a lot, and they deserve that game to go in and play one more time," Becht added. "That’s what I’m playing for, is them. Hopefully, we can go in there and do it."
Rocco's father, Anthony, played 11 seasons in the NFL - including three with the Buccaneers. He said he couldn't be happier to see his son perform at a high level.
"It’s great for our family. We’re super proud. It’s great for our area. It’s great for Tampa. To be a great representative of this area, the Bay Area is phenomenal," Anthony said via video chat. "Rocco’s journey, persistence, his work ethic. Everything he’s done to get to this point is all him. He’s got a great school, a great coaching staff, great teammates."
Becht is the head coach of the UFL's St. Louis Battlehawks. He said he wears both the "Coach Hat" and the "Dad Hat" during games, but he admits the "Dad Hat" tends to take over more often.
"I didn’t get anxiety as a player or a coach now. I get a lot of anxiety watching my son. My wife’s pulling on my arm the whole game every time there’s a snap," he joked. "Just really been fun to watch him. Now, he’s just continuing to build. He wants to be great. He’s at the right place. He gets to be a part of something that the school’s never done."
Rocco's been able to stay even-keeled during the Cyclones' historic run. Now, he just wants to finish it the right way.
"I think that was kind of our goal. Making history in this program, and just seeing where it leads us and seeing where it takes us," he explained. "Right now, it’s hopefully taking us to the Big 12 championship."
#16 Iowa St. (10-2) and #15 Arizona St. (10-2) kick off the Big XII championship game from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX at noon. The winner will likely leap-frog into the College Football Playoff top 12 and earn a spot in the national championship tournament.
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