Peterson: Even with Nick Saban and Alabama in the picture, can Iowa State land QB Brock Purdy? You bet.

AMES, Ia. — I talked to a guy Wednesday who’s generally the most optimistic Iowa State sports fan on the planet.

Who wins Saturday’s Cyclones-Tennessee men’s basketball game at Hilton Coliseum?

“We beat Texas Tech at home last weekend,” he reminded me before scolding for even thinking to ask something so absurd.

I then asked how he felt the Brock Purdy recruiting sweepstakes would end up, again expecting another dressing down.

“He’s visiting Alabama this weekend, right?” Mr. Optimism correctly responded, this time shaking his head in a manner insinuating he’s not as sure about this one.

Iowa State going against the national champ for the best unsigned 2018 quarterback?

Steve Prohm’s basketball team has a better chance to upset Rick Barnes’ 21st-ranked Vols during Saturday’s 3 p.m., game at Hilton Coliseum, than Matt Campbell has of beating Nick Saban for a quarterback recruit, right?

Maybe not.

According to published stories, Purdy, a three-star recruit from Perry High School in Gilbert, Ariz., wants to play ASAP. He wants to contribute as quickly as possible — and Alabama’s quarterback meeting room is a lot more crowded than Iowa State’s.

And there’s also this:

Purdy visited Ames last weekend. He attended Iowa State’s basketball victory against Texas Tech. He watched the program’s most lopsided victory ever against a Top 10 team with the chant “We Want Brock” resonating from students and others who noticed him sitting in the section of seats just beyond where the band plays.

And there’s also this:

“Iowa State in general is a great college town, and my family and I love it,” Purdy told Alex Halsted of 247sports.com after last weekend’s visit. “If I weren’t to play football, I’d still go there for college, so that’s a huge plus.

“Obviously, their staff and everybody is awesome. They made us all feel at home. They’re just genuine people that love football, and we clicked really well, so that’s what I’m really excited about, and overall the visit went great to see the campus in person and see the facilities in person and obviously break down everything offensively, what they have to offer me and stuff.”

And most importantly this:

"We wants to be able to play early," Purdy’s coach, Preston Jones, told the AL.com. "I think he wants to be able to throw the ball often, and he likes to be the guy that makes decisions.

“If you're going to sit there and hand it off 75 percent of the time, he's probably not going to enjoy that as much.

“He wants to play at the highest level possible, but he's also a smart kid. He wants to have the right fit coaching-wise, with the offense and the right system.”

Is Purdy to an Alabama program that initially offered him a walk-on opportunity a slam-dunk?

Not necessarily.

“He'll be in awe of the (Alabama) stadium and the campus and everything that probably goes on in that trip, but at the end of the day, he's going to make the best decision for him and what's best for his future," Jones told AL.com.

Meanwhile ...

Iowa State is still waiting for the NCAA to rule on quarterback Kyle Kempt’s request to play in 2018.

If it’s a yes, he’ll probably go into the spring as the No. 1 after leading the Cyclones to victory against Memphis in the Liberty Bowl. Zeb Noland, who quarterbacked Iowa State to victory at Baylor, will be No. 2, and redshirt freshman Devon Moore and true freshman Re-al Mitchell (he’s already enrolled) will get their share of snaps when spring ball opens March 19.

It’ll be great competition to see who starts and who backs up the starter in the 2018 season-opener against South Dakota State on Sept. 1 at Jack Trice Stadium. That’s what sport is about — may the best person win the job.

Everyone needs depth, especially Iowa State. Everyone needs quarterback depth competition — especially Iowa State, where the last to play every snap was Austen Arnaud in 2008.

Jacob Park, Kempt and Noland started games during the most recent season, you know, and there’s room for more on the 2018 roster.

Remaining recruits for this class can sign national letters of intent on Feb. 7. They can verbally commit any time before that, and in Purdy’s case — maybe it happens shortly after he visits Alabama this weekend.

Maybe.

Campbell’s offer wasn’t reactionary. He offered Purdy a scholarship before Saban offered anything more than an opportunity to walk on.

Campbell didn’t back away when the national champs seriously came into the picture. He intensified. He told Purdy his offer would be good, even if the decision goes down to signing day.

Campbell will go head-to-head against anyone — including Alabama. He beat Oklahoma for defensive end Matt Leo. He held off Oregon’s attempt to flip Kamilo Tongamoa. He’s as competitive off the field as he is on.

“My goal is to win championships,” he told me during a one-on-one a couple weeks ago.

He wasn’t talking just about Big 12 Conference titles, either.

So from basketball in Ames to football in Tuscaloosa, Ala. — it’s a big Iowa State-SEC weekend.

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.