Jake Waters

Biography

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS Jake Waters joins the Nittany Lions as quarterbacks coach following six combined years on the Iowa State staff, including the last two seasons as quarterbacks coach. He returned to Iowa State as a senior quality control assistant for the Cyclone offense in 2021 after serving as a graduate assistant for the program in 2017. Waters tutored quarterback Rocco Becht in 2024 and 2025, who has started 39-straight games at quarterback for Iowa State, the longest active streak among Big 12 quarterbacks and fourth-longest in the nation among quarterbacks. Becht owns 26 career victories at Iowa State, the most by any active Big 12 quarterback and tied for the fourth-most among active FBS quarterbacks. The 2024 Cyclones recorded the greatest season in school history, reaching double-digit wins for the first time and finishing the season 11-3 overall and 7-2 in Big 12 Conference play. The Cyclones started 7-0, the best start in school history, and reached the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship game for the second time in 133 seasons. Offensively, the Cyclone offense averaged 31.3 points and 416.2 yards per game, both of which ranked in the top 10 in program history. No Cyclone team scored more offensive touchdowns than the 2024 team (52). Waters guided Becht to one of the best seasons by a signal-caller the program has ever seen, as he earned All-Big 12 honorable mention accolades after passing for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns, both of which ranked second in the scho