The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Iowa State – INSIDE SLANT
Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads wants his offense to work on its best Mariano Rivera impression.
The Cyclones committed three red-zone turnovers in a 9-6 win over Iowa on Sept. 8 and are looking to close out drives against Western Illinois on Sept. 15 similar to how Rivera shuts down opponents in the ninth inning for the New York Yankees.
“It’s all part of the building blocks of building that championship program and part of being committed is finishing something you set out to do and we didn’t get that done,” Rhoads said.
Most of the turnovers fall into what Rhoads calls “correctable mistakes,” and he said measures are already being taken to ensure they don’t happen again. ISU needed to rely on its defense to almost single-handedly beat the Hawkeyes. The team knows that formula won’t work come Big 12 play.
Players and coaches were quick to point out this week that they felt the offense wasn’t that far off. Quarterback Steele Jantz completed his first 10 passes against Iowa. Offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham thought his unit moved the ball well in the first half.
But the Cyclones know that only goes so far if the team can’t score when it gets into the red zone.
“Finish has to be a big part of what we talk about because you only get so many opportunities to score,” Messingham said. “And scoring means putting the ball in the end zone and kicking.”
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NCAAF Team Report – Iowa State – NOTES, QUOTES
–ISU LB Jake Knott was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after his fourth-quarter interception sealed the 9-6 win over Iowa on Sept. 8. Knott also recorded six tackles in the game.
“Jake had a high number of tackles and then certainly the big-play interception,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said, “which is kind of the thing you need on your resume to qualify for that type of award.”
–In the last seven quarters, the Cyclone defense has allowed only one touchdown.
–ISU is 36-4-3 all-time against Missouri Valley Conference teams, which is the league Western Illinois resides in.
SERIES HISTORY: This is the first meeting between ISU and Western Illinois.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: ISU offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham views scoring chances as special opportunities. A team gets into the red zone only so many times a game. He wants the Cyclone offense to make sure it gets points every time it’s in the red zone this week after committing three red-zone turnovers a week ago. Also, QB Steele Jantz, who was erratic for stretches last week, needs to even out his play.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Western Illinois reminds ISU a lot of Iowa, and that’s probably a good thing for a Cyclone defense that held the Hawkeyes to six points last week. The Leathernecks will look to run the ball. A defensive performance like the one against Iowa — the Hawkeyes were limited to 68 rushing yards — will go a long way to securing a win.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We’ve won too many games losing the turnover battle, and we are just not going to keep doing that.” — ISU coach Paul Rhoads, on his team committing four turnovers in its last game.
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NCAAF Team Report – Iowa State – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
THIS WEEK’S GAME: Western Illinois at Iowa State, Sept. 15 — Barring a Louisiana-Monroe-esque upset, the Cyclones should leave Jack Trice Stadium with a win over a FCS opponent. This is a game where ISU will likely look to shore up some inconsistent areas, like its red-zone offense.
KEYS TO THE GAME: Rhoads describes Western Illinois as a sound team that doesn’t try to beat itself. ISU will need to get the Leathernecks out of their comfort zone by stopping their rushing attack. Also, the offense needs to protect the ball better than it did at Iowa. Those two things alone could likely equal a 3-0 start for the Cyclones.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
S Durrell Givens — The senior safety is third on ISU in tackles through two games with 14. He has a nose for the football, and if the past two weeks are any indication, he’ll likely make a big play or two.
TE Ernst Brun — He is becoming a key end-zone target for the Cyclones, who look his way often near the goal line. In the opener, he hauled in a touchdown pass. Against Iowa, he dropped a touchdown. A sure-handed Brun could help ISU solve some of its red-zone troubles.
LB A.J. Klein — With Western Illinois expected to run the ball a fair amoubt, there should be plenty of opportunities for Klein, and fellow LB Jake Knott, to rack up tackles.
ROSTER REPORT:
–DT Jake McDonough may be positioning himself to play more snaps. McDonough, a starter, spent most of the Iowa game in the backfield, and coaches praised his performance.
–K Edwin Arceo missed an extra point at Iowa, but is expected to hold onto his job. Arceo won a heated competition with true freshman Cole Netten in fall camp.
–RB Jeff Woody (ankle) was limited against Iowa, but he is expected to see more action against Western Illinois.
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