Peterson: NCAA process leading Iowa State to murky 2018 QB situation

AMES, Ia. — You’re looking down the list of what 247sports.com called the Big 12’s seventh-best 2018 recruiting class.

You’re accustomed to seeing recruiting classes ranked a whole lot worse, so you’re fingers-crossed optimistic that this group is good enough to continue the program’s 2017 success through at least the 2021 season.

Immediately jumping out at you are offensive linemen — and now you’re feeling real good about what Matt Campbell and his staff accomplished.

Quarterback? You’re liking what Re-al Mitchell brings, too. You’re especially eager, because he’ll be enrolled by whenever the next semester starts in less than a month.

You know quarterback Devon Moore is practicing again after undergoing ACL surgery from an injury suffered during practice during his true freshman season.

You’ll be all smiles until further examination shows you that Zeb Noland is the only non-senior on the 2018 roster that’s even taken an Iowa State snap — and he didn’t take all that many.

Zeb might be able to go it alone next season, but also remember that Iowa State's last quarterback to play every offensive play was Austen Arnaud back in 2008.

You’re concerned — waaaay more concerned about that than Matt Campbell is.

“It hasn’t changed our philosophy of what we’re doing,” Campbell said Friday during his last session with reporters before the team heads to Memphis on Monday for the Liberty Bowl.

“It’s irrelevant from our end. Obviously it’s relevant from Kyle’s end, because he’d love to know what’s going on with his future.”

Iowa State filed paperwork with the NCAA, seeking an additional year of eligibility for Kempt. They’re claiming that not playing at his two previous stops — Oregon State and Hutchinson Community College — should equate to another year.

They cited the Tanner Lee situation at Nebraska, where he was given an additional season because of a coaching change at Tulane, his previous school.

It’s called the “run-off rule,” where if a player feels he was run-off by a school — let’s say Oregon State — he can seek an additional season.

Under the rule, the player must sit out the next year, then apply for additional eligibility.

Kempt didn’t play at Hutchinson, before transferring and playing immediately at Iowa State.

Confused?

“I wish I knew more about that, other than it’s a unique situation,” Campbell said. “We’ve done everything on it from our end. I’d love to find something out about it before the (bowl) game, but I don’t know whether we will or we won’t.”

It’s wonderful news for Iowa State’s program if the NCAA grants the waiver. Kempt, you know, was the emergency starter against Oklahoma after the Jacob Park drama. Kempt led the Cyclones to that win, then also was the winner against TCU.

A veteran guy who won four of the seven Big 12 games he started, returning for an additional season for a team that should again be very good?

It can’t get much better than that.

“Our end of it is done, so it’s kind of all based on the NCAA and what’s going on with them, and obviously it’s a busy time of year,” Campbell said during his first public comments about Kempt vs. NCAA.

The NCAA has granted additional seasons for “run-off” players transferring from four-year school to four-year school.

Kempt’s progression went four-year school to junior college to four-year school.

What happens if the NCAA says no?

Noland will be the starting quarterback next season. Noland will be the only quarterback on the roster that’s played in a college game.

Right now.

Graduate transfer?

Campbell wouldn’t be specific, but 247sports.com reported recently that Washington graduate transfer K.J. Carta-Samuels already has visited Iowa State.

“We’ve had a mindset of a lot of uncertainty trying to figure out what the future holds at that position,” the coach said. “When we came in, that was an area that did not have great depth.

“We’ve been able to create some depth. That’s an area where we have to continue to do a great job.”

Bottom line?

Be patient.

It’s in the hands of the NCAA.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at rpeterson@dmreg.com or on Twitter at @RandyPete.