Iowa State's varied offensive attack will be a new challenge for the Sun Devils

After starting the season 5-0 and looking well on their way to a repeat berth in the Big 12 championship game, Iowa State has been in a funk, losing three straight ahead of this weekend's rematch with Arizona State.

While the Cyclones are missing two big pieces of last season's success in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, second-year offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser still leads a dangerous offensive attack that runs through redshirt junior quarterback Rocco Becht.

Under Mouser's leadership, the Cyclones have employed primarily a spread offensive scheme, but with the flexibility of creating multiple looks for defenses to prepare for on every play. Mouser's coaching strategies are further subdivided between his two primary assistants; Noah Pauley for the passing game and Ryan Clanton with the running game. Collaboratively, the three-headed coaching staff works in run-pass option plays to help create opportunities in the passing game, looking to jump out ahead of their opposition early with big plays to set the tone.

Three interceptions against BYU notwithstanding, Becht brings an above average skillset into this weekend's matchup. Completing 63.7% of his passes for 1,933 yards with 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, he is the straw that stirs the drink for the offense.

In the absence of Higgins and Noel, Brett Eskildsen has been the returning constant for the wide receivers room, alongside tight end Benjamin Brahmer. The team leaders at 409 and 317 receiving yards respectively, they have not quite stacked up to the production of the two-1,000 yard receivers from last season, but what the Cyclones lack in star power they make up for in depth. Five players in total have recorded at least 200 yards this season; wide receivers Chase Sowell (270 yards) and Xavier Townsend (243 yards), and secondary tight end Gabe Burkle. If Becht can shake off last weekend's hiccup, the Cyclones will be a lot for the Sun Devil secondary to keep track of.

As if the passing game wasn't enough to go up against, Iowa State runs with running backs by committee in Abu Sama III and Carson Hansen. It's rare to see both backs racking up the numbers in the same game, but both are capable of breaking off 100 yard rushing games. Hansen has seen the more frequent higher yardage share, putting up 116 yards in the Week 3 win at Arkansas State and 152 yards in last week's home loss to BYU, while Sama exploded for 177 yards in the Week 8 loss at Colorado.

Staying true to his offensive line roots, Matt Campbell has recruited an offensive line that boasts incredible size. At an average of 6'5" and 320 lbs, this line anchored by right tackle Tyler Miller offers above-average pass protection for Becht. The glaring weakness for this crew has been the run protection. While the production has been there from the running backs, the consistency from the line just hasn't been there.

Ironically, it has been the passing game that has led to the recent slide for Iowa State. The Cyclones have struggled with miscommunication within the huddle, leading to missed reads and incorrect routes, plus the ever painful dropped pass that will cripple even the strongest communicating squad. Becht's three interceptions last week are a direct result of these lapses, something that Mouser has highlighted as a key area of improvement going forward.

Luckily for the Sun Devils, the initial injury report came out during this writing. The only notable absence known on the defensive side of the ball outside of season ending injuries will be Xavion Alford, who has not seen action since Week 2 at Mississippi State. The hope will be that a mostly healthy defense can keep the Cyclones on their recent losing streak.

Arizona State and Iowa State will kick off from Jack Trice Stadium at 10am on Saturday on TNT.