Rod Aydelotte/AP PhotoIt seems so long ago that the Iowa State football team had its run of success, winning 23 games from 2000-2002, going to three bowl games and, at one point, hyping its sensational quarterback, Seneca Wallace, as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
As the Cyclones painfully found out, though, it can go south just as quickly as it can emerge.
The Cyclones (3-4 overall, 1-3 Big 12 Conference) have struggled since the quick spurt of glory days, going 5-14 in the last two years under veteran coach Dan McCarney.
Their 26-25 victory over lowly Baylor last week was the Cyclones’ first Big 12 victory since Nov. 2, 2002. They’ll go for number two today at 1 p.m. against Kansas.
“If you look at Iowa State and KU, those schools don’t have some of the resources that some of the other Big 12 teams do,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “I really respect the job that Dan McCarney has done there. It’s not easy, and he’s been there 10 years and has taken them to some bowl games.”
The biggest question mark in Iowa State’s season has been at quarterback, but Cyclone fans finally are starting to see some consistency at the position. The Cyclones, like the Jayhawks, have experimented with two quarterbacks this season, rotating snaps early on between freshman Bret Meyer and sophomore Austin Flynn.
Meyer is the guy now, and he has the tools to provide headaches if he’s on his game. As a two-dimensional quarterback, Meyer has passed for 976 yards despite his snaps being limited early in the year. He also has proven to be able to tuck the ball and run, though his rushing stats aren’t impressive because he has been sacked a lot.
Meyer generally seeks out one receiver for the big play — freshman Todd Blythe, who has 478 yards and eight touchdowns this season on 23 catches.
Inexperience and youth are roadblocks that ISU is trying to push aside.
Defensively, the Cyclones boast the reigning Big 12 defensive player of the week in linebacker Brandon Brown. Against Baylor on Saturday, Brown forced a fumble, recovered two fumbles and added a sack as part of his team-high 13 tackles.
Brown is one of a stout group of linebackers who have helped the Cyclones allow just 332.6 yards per game, fifth in the Big 12. Joining him among the starting linebackers are junior Tim Dobbins and senior Erik Anderson.
“Tim Dobbins and Brandon Brown are very active guys,” Mangino said. “Iowa State has been playing good defense for most of the season. They have some talented kids.”
But winning hasn’t come from it. Before the Baylor game, Iowa State lost to Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Colorado by a combined score of 89-24. ISU also fell to Iowa, 17-10, on Sept. 11.
| Kickoff: 1 p.m. today.Where: Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa.Line: Kansas by 41/2.Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network, including 1320 KLWN.Television: None.Series: Kansas leads 44-33-6. |
KU heads into the road game as the favorite, a rarity considering the Jayhawks are 0-10 in conference road games since Mangino’s arrival in 2002.
“This is an opportunity for us to go up and get a road victory in the Big 12,” Mangino said. “We have got to take care of our business, and if we do what we are capable of, that will happen.”
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