Oct 6, 2026 · 10 min
Iowa State must fix tackling before facing BYU’s dual-threat quarterback
DAILY CLONE: How can Iowa State slow down Bear Bachmeier?
The matchup may hinge less on offensive firepower than on whether Iowa State can tackle cleanly and defend every dimension of Bear Bachmeier’s game.
- 1Jimmy Rogers ties Iowa State’s missed tackles to technique, preparation, and execution rather than treating them as isolated mistakes.
- 2Bear Bachmeier can pressure defenses with physical runs and deep passes, forcing Iowa State to maintain balance and eye discipline.
- 3Jake Brend expects Iowa State to pursue a low-scoring win in Provo by making its defense more consistent under pressure.
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Jimmy Rogers accepts responsibility for helping correct Iowa State’s tackling problems while demanding more precise preparation and execution.
The brief
Jake Brend opens with the central problem facing Iowa State: how to contain Bear Bachmeier, a quarterback whose running threat and deep passing can stretch a defense.
After 53 missed tackles against Utah and West Virginia, Iowa State’s defensive staff is confronting accountability directly rather than treating poor tackling as bad luck.
Defensive coordinator Jimmy Rogers accepts responsibility for improving technique and preparation, while insisting that practice detail must translate into cleaner execution.
Rogers says Iowa State cannot choose between stopping quarterback runs and defending the pass; small alignment and eye-discipline errors could decide the game.
Brend expects a difficult scoring environment in Provo, making defensive consistency and the ability to win a game in the 20s especially important.