Rocco Becht Named to Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht was named Tuesday to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top upperclassman quarterback scheduled to graduate with their class.
Becht, a Wesley Chapel (Fla.) Wiregrass alum, put up big numbers last season, throwing for 3,505 yards to rank No. 11 nationally. He passed for 25 touchdowns and rushed for 318 yards and eight scores.
The Cyclones finished 2024 with 11 wins, the most in program history. Becht led Iowa State to a spot in the Big 12 championship game and a Pop-Tarts Bowl win over No. 15 Miami.
Becht was clutch throughout the season, engineering four game-winning drives in which ISU took the lead with less than two minutes left, including matchups at Iowa, UCF, at Utah and against Miami. In his career, he has led five fourth-quarter comeback victories.
He has thrown a touchdown pass in 18 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation entering the 2025 season.
Under Becht, Iowa State has won 18 games over the last two years, the best stretch in team history. He is one of just two Cyclones quarterbacks — along with Brock Purdy — to register multiple 3,000-yard passing seasons.
Iowa State opens the 2025 season Aug. 23 in Dublin, Ireland, facing Kansas State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
