247sports.com — Hunter Dekkers’ opportunities to get time on task were somewhat limited as a true freshman.
With the nine-plus-one scheduling model the Big 12 adapted for the 2020 season, Iowa State only played one non-conference game. Under normal circumstances, the two non-conference games outside of the Cy-Hawk series would normally allow the backup quarterback — Dekkers in this instance — multiple opportunities to see the field. But that wasn’t the case, as Iowa State struggled against Louisiana and eventually fell to the Ragin’ Cajuns.
The 6-foot-3, 234-pound quarterback had to wait until Iowa State’s trip to Lawrence, Kans. in late October to make his debut as a Cyclone. Iowa State blew out Kansas and Dekkers was able to get several snaps at quarterback to end the game. The freshman completed both his pass attempts for 55 yards and a touchdown. Dekkers went on to play against Kansas State and West Virginia to round out his first campaign as a Cyclone.
In total, Dekkers played 27 snaps as a freshman and secured a redshirt. In his time on the field, Dekkers accounted for 130 yards of offense on seven passes and three rushes.
“What I’ve learned is the game is a lot faster than in high school,” Dekkers said this spring. “I think obviously coming here you think it, but once you actually experience it in the game, it’s a whole different level.”
Although he played limited snaps, Dekkers was able to learn from Brock Purdy throughout the season. Dekkers explained that Purdy is “always teaching” those in the quarterback room and mentioned that the veteran quarterback has helped him understand opposing defenses and how to work through his progressions in the passing game.
When Dekkers was able to get on the field last fall, he was able to put some of those things to use. And he feels the experience he got was valuable.
“Once you get older and once you get in the game, the games are so slow down,” Dekkers said. “So just getting in the game games a couple times last year, it’s just going to slow down the game even more this year. So I think it helped me tremendously to get in the game last year.”
This spring, Dekkers competed with fellow redshirt freshman Aidan Bouman as both work to win the backup job behind Purdy. Quarterbacks coach Joel Gordon complemented both signal callers for their willingness to learn and push each other in practice.
During Iowa State’s spring practice slate in April, Dekkers wanted to work on a few things, in particular.
“I would say all my little mechanical and footwork stuff,” Dekkers said. “There’s just there’s a couple of things I can tweak just to make it better and more accurate when I throw the ball.”
The quarterback feels like that will help round out his overall game.
