Iowa State’s Matt Campbell on Mason Rudolph: ‘He’s Like a Robo Quarterback’

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell has the utmost respect for Mason Rudolph’s game, he said at his Monday press conference. So much so, in fact, that he likened QB1 to … a robot.

Not seeing the compliment? Here’s context into what Campbell said about the gun-slinger headed to Ames this weekend.

“He’s interesting,” said Campbell. “What’s so fascinating about him is his strength. He looks like a robot. He’s like a robo quarterback is how he looks. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s physical. He’s just one of those guys that, what he does, and how he throws the deep ball, is as good as anyone I’ve seen consistently throw a deep ball, which is fascinating to me.

“[Mason] is a really special player. I got a chance to meet him 2 years ago and he’s like the All-American QB. Looks the part, plays the part … he’s just really impressive.”

Campbell raved about Rudolph and his ability to consistently make the right reads and make good decisions, a hallmark of his game largely attributed to Rudolph’s relentless preparation.

“I’ve been very fortunate over the years to have good quarterbacks who had that urgency about them to prepare very well and make sure they’re doing all the homework they can do,” Mike Yurcich told The Oklahoman recently. “Mason is exceptional. I don’t know if I’ve ever had one this good.”

Rudolph leads the nation in yards passing entering this week with 3,314, with an impressive 27 touchdowns to boot. The senior QB holds nearly every relevant OSU record, including most wins as the starting QB, most touchdowns, and most yardage.

With a claim to fame now also as the robo QB, Rudolph heads to Ames on Saturday — a place he’s 1-0 as a starter — with a chance to rebound from a heart-breaking Bedlam loss.