AMES — One of the biggest changes to the 2024 college football season is the sideline tablets. They allow teams to make adjustments by seeing what to fix in-game, rather than solely going by what coaches and players think happened.
No. 9 Iowa State has taken full advantage of the new resource, considering the Cyclones have one of the best second-half defenses in the country.
In nearly every game this season, Iowa State has given up an early score or two or allowed the opposing team to march down the field. Defensive coordinator Jon Heacock has adjusted his defense in each game to stop the opposition.
“Coach Heacock sees everything,” senior defensive end J.R. Singleton said. “He’s ready to make those adjustments quick. But he also knows the defense that he’s created so well that he can make those adjustments quick. So, I think that’s what sets him apart from everyone else.”
The thing that has helped the most is the collaboration between the coaches and players, but the tablets help a lot. Everyone agreed having a visual aid is a huge benefit.
“It’s like watching film, but on the sideline,” senior defensive back Beau Freyler said. “It’s a team effort. Coaches can see everything from up top in the press box. They’re watching everything, and then we’re the ones on the field seeing it.”
Teachable moments are what the tablets offer. It’s the epitome of the shiny new toy on Christmas morning to the coaches.
“Every teacher wants to have the best resources to teach from,” head coach Matt Campbell said. “When you didn’t have those, it was hard to maybe always dot every I and cross every T on what exactly happened.”
Heacock said the tablets were a huge benefit to the season and acknowledged that there is an art to it. The goal of that art is to be the first team that makes adjustments rather than the other way around.
“I think the [tablets] help you a ton,” Heacock said. “The biggest thing is when something happens, you can fix a problem.”
Some of those problems have been the Cyclones giving up early scores, but the second-half defense has been lights out. Iowa State has given up eight total touchdowns this season, being the only Big 12 school to allow less than 10 through six games.
Given that the Cyclones lead that category, it should come as no surprise that they have allowed the least amount of points among Big 12 schools so far at 66, or 11 per game.
In the second half of games, Iowa State has allowed 26 points, an average of 4.33. Half of those have been late-game touchdowns from the other team when the game was out of reach.
Forcing turnovers is another key to the Cyclone defense. Iowa State is tied with BYU for the most interceptions this season with 10 at the midway point of the season.
The fruits of Heacock’s labor are shown week in and week out. He makes the scheme, and the defenders make it happen, with a little help from the tablets, of course.
“[Heacock] does an incredible job of putting us in great opportunities to go out and execute,” Freyler said.
