Ames Tribune
IOWA STATE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
LAZARD’S LEGACY He’ll go down as the best wide receiver in school history, but does he need a bowl game to cement his place? Page 3
Warren, Montgomery form friendship rather than rivalry Page 10
Sunday, August 27, 2017
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Table of contents 3: Lazard’s Legacy 5: ISU full roster 6: Matt Leo from Down Under 8: 2016 Stats 10: Warren and Montgomery 11: 2017 Cyclone Depth Chart 13: Chase Allen is ready 14: Season Schedule 14: Freshmen to watch 16: Big 12 Preview 18: Zeb Noland back from ACL tear
Lazard’s Legacy HE’LL GO DOWN AS THE BEST WIDE RECEIVER IN SCHOOL HISTORY, BUT DOES LAZARD NEED A BOWL GAME TO CEMENT HIS PLACE? By Travis Hines, Sports Editor thines@amestrib.com
The records will almost certainly be his. They will be the marks of excellence accrued over a career that will be hailed as one of the best-ever for an Iowa State football player. It’s a dubious distinction, though, that brought Allen Lazard back to ISU for his senior season, when the NFL draft presented itself as an opportunity last winter. In his three seasons in Ames, the Cyclones have won just eight games while losing 28. Lazard has never played in a bowl game. “I’m just focused on winning,” he said. “These past three years, all the tough times that we’ve been through, all the wins we let slip out from underneath us, that’s what fuels me. That’s what drives me and pushes my teammates as well and makes me want to push them even more. “At the end of the day, my legacy will be defined, I feel like, what I do this upcoming season and what I can lead my team to be.” That’s a tremendous burden for a wide receiver to carry, especially after three seasons as individually successful as he’s had. By season’s end, he’ll likely stand as ISU’s leader in career receptions, yards, 100-yard receiving games and consecutive games with a reception. See LAZARD on page 4
Iowa State wide receiver Alen Lazard. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
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LAZARD: ‘More focused’ Continued from page 1
“Certainly, a lot of pressure going into his senior year where there’s even higher expectations for a guy like him,” ISU wide receivers coach Bryan Gasser said. “I think he’s handled it really well. “I think he’s challenged himself mentally as well as physically and athletically to be able to go out there and have the senior season we all know he’s capable of having.” Lazard is certainly capable of putting up a monster senior year, besting a junior campaign in which he had 69 catches, 1,018 yards and seven touchdowns. With a talented group of wideouts around him, two capable running backs in David Montgomery and Mike Warren and continuity at quarterback with Jacob Park back for a second year, ISU’s offense should have the threats to make bottling up Lazard more difficult for defenses. “This being my last year now,” Lazard said, “I need to be the most locked in I’ve ever been, really take advantage of every single practice because these are my last practices, my last (preseason) camp. “I’ve got to be able to come here and work hard every single day, make sure I’m leading my teammates, showing them that if we put this work in now because of all that work we put in these last six months is really going to pay off. If we get together and form that bond even more (tightly stitched) now, making sure we develop that chemistry, we can go into the season on point.” That’s not a new approach for Lazard, but rather a refined one.
LAZARD STATS CAREER RECEIVING YARDS 1. Todd Blythe (2004-07), 3,096 2. Lane Danielsen (2000-03), 2,690 3. Allen Lazard (2014-), 2,419 CAREER RECEPTIONS 1. Todd Blythe (2004-07), 176 2. Allen Lazard (2014-), 170 100-PLUS YARD RECEIVING GAMES 1. Tracy Henderson (1982-84), 8 1. Lane Danielsen (2000-03), 8 1. Todd Blythe (2004-07), 8 1. Allen Lazard (2014-), 8 TOUCHDOWN CATCHES 1. Todd Blythe (2004-07), 31 2. Allen Lazard (2014-), 16 CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION 1. Allen Lazard (2014-), 35
“Kind of attacking it every day,” he said. “Waking up at the same time is one thing that I’ve learned that will be very helpful, kind of get you into a routine. “Waking up, going through the same routine, check off the same things, making sure I’m always early and not even close to being late to meetings, practices, treatment or anything like that. I try to handle it as most professional and business-like (that I can).”
It’s a change that teammates have noticed and believe will pay dividends during the season. “He just seems a little more focused this year,” Park said. “Allen has been playing at an elite level for awhile so once you get up to the point where he is in your career, it’s very small changes and subtle changes and not many people notice until game day. I’m interested to see what he does this year.” The Cyclones also hope improved health will go a long way to Lazard securing a bountiful collection of catches this season after battling a foot injury last year. “He didn’t play at 100 percent throughout the season,” Gasser said, “and still put up great numbers and still had a bunch of success. I think priority No. 1 for both him and us as a staff is how do we get Allen as healthy as we possibly can? “We did some things differently in terms of the training room and with the strength and conditioning staff to try to get him to feel great again and I think we’ve gotten him to that point.” While the staff recalibrated things to get Lazard healthy, he did his part this spring and summer as well. “Got around some NFL guys, kind of on his own,” Gasser said, “and got a chance to see how those guys work. Did a lot of film study and got a chance to sit down and watch what he did last year and what our opponents that we’re going to be playing this coming season do well.” All the work comes back to that one nagging, unfortunate fact that the only time Lazard’s season has stretched into
December make because of a scheduling quirk in 2014 rather than the reward of reaching bowl season. “There’s been a lot of positive things that Allen has been able to contribute to this football program,” second-year coach Matt Campbell said. “When he made the decision to come back, it was more than just personal achievement. It was about leaving a legacy here, about getting the opportunity to maybe change the tide of this football program. “Having so many touchdowns and so many receptions — and that’s all great, but to me, it’s got to be bigger than that. Allen’s been a guy that’s echoed those achievements and says and understands that it’s far greater than that. “He’s got a chance, along with this entire senior class, to swing the tide of where this football program is going and has a chance to really leave a great legacy for this football program — way more off the field than what we see on the field.” There’s so much at stake for Lazard this season. If the Cyclones don’t make a bowl game, his could be perceived as an unfulfilled legacy, bursting with personal accomplishments but devoid of the team triumphs that often define careers. It’s an awesome burden to carry if being the best wide receiver in school history isn’t satisfying. “There’s pressure every single game day, every single play,” Lazard said. “It is what it is. All I’m worried about is me and my teammates.” And securing those precious six — or more — victories this fall.
Iowa State football roster
No. Name Pos Ht Wt Yr Hometown (High School/Previous School) 1 D’Andre Payne DB 5-10 180 Jr.# Washington, D.C. (HD Woodson/Arizona Western CC) 2 Mike Warren RB 6-0 211 Jr.# Lawton, Okla. (Lawton) 3 Kene Nwangwu RB 6-1 202 So. Frisco, Texas (Heritage) 3 Reggie Wilkerson DB 5-11 165 Sr.# Ocala, Fla. (North Marion/ Georgia) 4 Evrett Edwards DB 6-0 188 Sr.# Woodbridge, Va. (Woodbridge/Duke) 4 Zeb Noland QB 6-2 222 Fr.# Watkinsville, Ga. (Oconee County) 5 Kamari Cotton-Moya DB 6-2 198 Sr.# Bakersfi eld, Calif. (Ridgeview) 5 Allen Lazard WR 6-5 222 Sr. Urbandale, Iowa (Urbandale) 6 De’Monte Ruth DB 5-10 170 Jr.# Dallas, Texas (Wilmer-Hutchins) 7 Willie Harvey LB 6-0 222 Jr.# Hastings, Fla. (Menendez) 7 Joel Lanning LB/QB 6-2 220 Sr.# Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny) 8 Deshaunte Jones WR 5-10 179 So. Cincinnati, Ohio (Colerain) 9 Reggan Northrup LB 6-1 205 Jr.# Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast) 10 Jacob Park QB 6-4 210 Jr.# Charleston, S.C. (Stratford/ Georgia) 10 Brian Peavy DB 5-9 190 Jr.# Houston, Texas (Westfield) 11 Chase Allen TE 6-7 230 Fr.# Nixa, Mo. (Nixa) 11 Lawrence White DB 6-0 178 Fr.# Bakersfield, Calif. (Ridgeview) 12 Devon Moore QB 6-4 225 Fr. Waterloo, Iowa (West) 13 Colin Downing P 6-0 190 Sr. Whitefish Bay, Wis. (Whitefish Bay) 13 Josh Johnson WR 5-11 171 Fr. Little Rock, Ark. (Central Arkansas Christian) 14 Darius Lee-Campbell DB 6-2 205 Jr.# Spring, Texas (Spring) 15 Stephon Pickett-Brown DB 5-11 178 So.# Kissimmee, Fla. (Osceola) 16 Keontae Jones DB 6-0 163 Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio (Colerain) 16 Marchie Murdock WR 6-1 205 Sr.# Arlington, Texas (Legacy/Illinois) 16 Kyle Starcevich QB 6-3 224 Jr.# Altoona, Iowa (Southeast Polk) 17 Richard Bowens III DB 6-1 177 Fr. Detroit, Mich. (St. Mary’s) 17 Kyle Kempt QB 6-5 210 Sr.# Massillon, Ohio (Washington/ Hutchinson CC) 17 Garrett Owens PK 5-8 180 Sr.# Arroyo Grande, Calif. (Arroyo Grande/Oregon State) 18 Cordarrius Bailey DE 6-3 200 Fr. Clarksdale, Miss. (Clarksdale) 18 Hakeem Butler WR 6-6 219 So.# Baltimore, Md. (Travis [Texas])
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19 JaQuan Bailey DE 6-2 260 So. Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines) 19 Trever Ryen WR 5-11 193 Sr.# Ida Grove, Iowa (OA-BCIG/ UNI) 20 Aaron Austin LB 5-11 195 Fr.# Walnut, Calif. (Bishop Amat) 21 Jatairis Grant DB 6-0 191 Fr.# Akron, Ohio (Garfield) 22 Arturo Romero WR 5-10 187 Jr.# Manchester, Mo. (Parkway West/College of DuPage) 22 O.J. Tucker DB 5-11 195 Fr. Ocala, Fla. (Vanguard) 23 Thadd Daniels DB 6-1 198 Sr.# Compton, Calif. (Lynwood/ Cerritos CC) 23 Matthew Eaton WR 6-4 209 Jr.# Norfolk, Va. (Pascagoula [Miss.]/Pearl River CC) 24 Johnnie Lang RB 5-8 189 Fr. Palmetto, Fla. (Salt Lake City East [Utah]) 24 Jamaal Richardson DB 6-1 196 Jr.# Oswego, Ill. (Oswego) 25 Sheldon Croney Jr. RB 5-11 201 So.# Bakersfi eld, Calif. (Ridgeview) 25 Datrone Young DB 5-9 155 Fr. Delray Beach, Fla. (Atlantic) 26 Nick Duehr DB 5-11 182 Fr. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Kennedy) 26 Parker Rickert WR 5-11 187 Fr. Edina, Minn. (Edina) 27 Nick Leach RB 6-2 210 Jr.# Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge) 27 Romelo Webster DB 5-11 177 Fr.# Miramar, Fla. (Hallandale) 29 Rory Walling LB 5-11 190 Fr. Des Moines, Iowa (East) 31 Conner Greene DE 6-1 234 So.# North Liberty, Iowa (Iowa City West) 32 Arnold Azunna DB 6-0 194 Fr.# Grand Prairie, Texas (Lake Ridge) 32 David Montgomery RB 5-11 219 So. Cincinnati, Ohio (Mount Healthy) 33 Braxton Lewis DB 5-11 184 So.# Overland Park, Kan. (St. James Academy) 34 Charles Peeler WR 5-8 174 Fr. Washington, D.C. (HD Woodson) 34 O’Rien Vance LB 6-1 230 Fr. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Washington) 35 Jake Hummel LB 6-1 223 Fr. Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic)
35 Ethan Staskewicz RB 5-11 203 Fr.# O’Fallon, Mo. (Fort Zumwalt West) 37 Mackenro Alexander LB 5-11 192 Sr.# Immokalee, Fla. (Immokalee/NE Mississippi CC) 37 Daric Whipple WR 5-10 187 Fr.# Jefferson, Iowa (Greene County) 38 Peyton Paddock PK 6-0 212 So.# Monticello, Iowa (Monticello) 39 Zach Silbermann LB 6-0 220 Fr.# Chagrin Falls, Ohio (Kenston) 39 Steve Wirtel LS 6-4 214 So. Orland Park, Ill. (Mount Carmel) 40 Jared Gescheidler LB 6-1 235 So.# Gilbert, Iowa (Gilbert) 41 Chris Francis PK 6-0 186 Jr.# Dubuque, Iowa (Hempstead) No. Name Pos Ht Wt Yr Hometown (High School/Previous School) 42 Nathan Fagnani TE 6-1 230 Fr.# White Lake, Mich. (St. Mary’s) 42 Marcel Spears Jr. LB 6-1 215 So.# Olathe, Kan. (North) 43 Tymar Sutton LB 5-10 222 Fr.# McKeesport, Pa. (McKeesport) 44 Bobby McMillen III LB 6-2 230 So.# Naperville, Ill. (Central) 45 Carson Lensing DE 6-4 249 Fr.# Fort Atkinson, Iowa (South Winneshiek) 46 Spencer Benton DE 6-2 247 Jr.# Van Meter, Iowa (Van Meter) 47 Sam Seonbuchner TE 6-3 232 Jr.# Oconomowoc, Wis. (Arrowhead) 48 Jason Bowman LB 6-3 212 Jr.# West Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic) 49 Mauricio Ramirez RB 5-11 187 Fr.# Conesville, Iowa (Columbus Community) 49 Jack Spreen LB 6-1 218 Sr.# Bedford, Ind. (Bedford North Lawrence) 50 Bryan Larson OL 6-4 285 Sr.# Humboldt, Iowa (Humboldt) 50 Eyioma Uwazurike DE 6-6 280 Fr.# Detroit, Mich. (Southfield-Lathrup) 51 Julian Good-Jones OL 6-5 293 So.# Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Washington) 51 Logan Wolf DE 6-4 247 Fr.# Heyworth, Ill. (University)
52 Dan Sichterman DE 6-3 237 Fr. Cincinnati, Ohio (Kings) 53 Gerry Alt OL 6-2 277 Fr. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Washington) 54 Josh Mueller OL 6-6 309 Fr.# Mequon, Wis. (Homestead) 54 Collin Olson DT 6-1 267 So.# Ankeny, Iowa (Centennial) 56 Bobby Denaro OL 6-3 288 Fr. Stow, Mass. (Nashoba Regional) 57 Colin Newell OL 6-4 262 Fr. Ames, Iowa (Ames) 58 J.D. Waggoner DE 6-3 248 Sr.# Dallas, Texas (Jesuit) 60 Quinn Sonntag LS 6-0 221 So.# Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic) 62 Noah Juergensen OL 6-4 240 Fr.# Churdan, Iowa (Greene County) 63 Robby Garcia OL 6-3 281 Sr.# Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit) 64 Derek Schweiger OL 6-3 276 Fr. Plymouth, Wis. (Plymouth) 66 Josh Knipfel OL 6-5 317 So. Hampton, Iowa (Hampton-Dumont/Iowa Western CC) 67 Jake Campos OL 6-8 300 Sr.# West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley) 69 Kory Kodanko OL 6-5 315 Jr.# Green Bay, Wis. (West De Pere) 70 Oge Udeogu OL 6-3 317 Jr.# Imo, Nigeria (Saint Viator [Arlington Heights, Ill.]/CC of San Francisco) 71 Alex Kleinow OL 6-6 279 Fr. North Liberty, Iowa (Iowa City West) 72 Jacob Bolton OL 6-5 325 Fr. Roswell, Ga. (Blessed Trinity Catholic) 73 Will Windham OL 6-3 307 Jr.# Schertz, Texas (Clemens) 74 Bryce Meeker OL 6-6 314 So.# Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Prairie) 75 Sean Foster OL 6-8 304 Fr.# Mundelein, Ill. (Carmel Catholic) 76 Ray Lima DT 6-3 306 So.# Los Angeles, Calif. (Torrance West/El Camino CC) 76 Jeff Nogaj OL 6-4 319 Fr. Johnstown, Ohio (Johnstown-Monroe) 77 Robert Hudson OL 6-6 350 Fr. Walled Lake, Mich. (Western) 78 Colby Lafrenz OL 6-5 295 Fr.# Maysville, Iowa (North Scott 79 Shawn Curtis OL 6-5 290 Sr.# Orlando, Fla. (Olympia) 80 Carson Epps WR 6-1 211 Jr. Jenks, Okla. (Jenks) 80 Vince Horras DE 6-6 234 Jr.# Fairfield, Iowa (Fairfield) 81 Denver Johnson WR 6-4 211 So.# Oklahoma City, Okla. (Casady School) 82 Landen Akers WR 6-0 188 Fr.# Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Washington) 82 John Banta PK 6-0 197 Fr.# Ankeny, Iowa (Centennial) 83 Jalen Martin WR 6-3 208 Fr.# Detroit, Mich. (Chandler Park Academy) 84 Amechie Walker WR 5-10 172 So.# Harrisburg, Pa. (Harrisburg/New Hampshire) 85 John Nagel DE 6-5 225 Fr. Greeley, Iowa (West Delaware) 85 Colby Shane WR 6-2 189 Fr.# Ames, Iowa (Ames) 86 Cole Anderson TE 6-4 264 Jr.# League City, Texas (Clear Falls) 87 Sam Harms TE 6-4 232 Sr. Spirit Lake, Iowa (Spirit Lake/ Iowa Western CC) 88 Charlie Kolar TE 6-6 238 Fr. Norman, Okla. (North) 89 Matt Leo DE 6-7 276 Jr. Adelaide, Australia (St. Michael’s/ Arizona Western CC) 89 Dylan Soehner TE 6-7 271 Fr.# Prairie Grove, Ark. (Prairie Grove) 90 Joshua Bailey DT 6-2 288 Fr.# Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines) 92 Jamahl Johnson DL 6-0 314 So. Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake) 95 Tucker Robertson DT 6-3 284 Fr. Simi Valley, Calif. (Grace Brethren) 96 Connor Assalley PK 6-0 180 Fr.# Naperville, Ill. (Central) 96 Ben Latusek DE 6-3 244 Fr. Dike, Iowa (Dike-New Hartford) 97 Angel Dominguez DE 6-4 274 Fr. Kansas City, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas) 98 Joe Rivera P 6-2 188 Fr.# Grinnell, Iowa (Grinnell) 99 Vernell Trent DT 6-3 282 Sr.# Jacksonville, Fla. (Forrest) # - Has redshirted
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Iowa State defensive end Matt Leo. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/ AMES TRIBUNE
From Adelaide to Ames: Matt Leo travels from Down Under to Division I football By Travis Hines, Sports Editor thines@amestrib.com
It wasn’t even love at first snap for Matt Leo. Growing up in Australia, over 8,000 miles from the nearest NFL franchise, the current Iowa State defensive lineman learned to love the game of football from afar, without ever playing the game. Or really even knowing exactly what it was he was becoming entranced by. “I watched the sport, didn’t really understand it,” Leo said, “because obviously not many people watch it in Australia, it’s not broadcasted across our TVs. “The fact that I love the sport, there was an opportunity to come to the U.S. and play, I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t’ give it a chance.” Leo’s story of pursuing a football career is a rather astounding one, and a major reason why he became so attractive to the Cyclones once they found him stateside. “He flies out here on his own dime,” ISU coach Matt Campbell
said. “He’s really ready to start his own career back in Australia, and says, ‘I’m going to take a chance on this.’ Not even on scholarship at Arizona Western (Community College). “I love guys that appreciate this game and are driven to be the best. It’s an internal drive. You don’t leave home, you don’t’ give all that up, you don’t give up a great job and all those things to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to come to the United States of America and just give it the old try.’ “It’s really been a vested interest in the sport and the game.” Leo’s love for the game was evident back in his native Adelaide in southeast Australia, when his dedication to track and learn the sport turned him into something of an insomniac. “It’s literally broadcast at random times,” he said of NFL coverage. “At 3 a.m. you might see a Ravens-San Francisco game but it’s really hit and miss. It just fills in on TV in Australia. “I would be up at odd hours watching it.”
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Without an avenue to pursue the sport in his homeland, Leo entered the workforce. “I played high level sports in Australia,” he said. “I gave that up to pursue a career, which I was a normal person in Australia. “I started an apprenticeship as a plumber. I did my four-year trade, and I was a qualified plumber. A construction plumber. Not your maintenance plumber that unblocks toilets. Let’s not get that mistaken.” Then, Leo heard about a chance to take his love of football from spectator to participant, though not without quite a bit of legwork. “Someone had told me about the opportunity to play American football and earn a scholarship,” Leo said. “That was enough said. I took the risk and came over here with no intention of where I was going to be. I knew I was going to earn a spot. I had to be a walk-on but I knew I’d work my butt off to earn a spot on the team.” That team was Arizona Community College, where Leo arrived with the goal of working his way up to the highest levels of college football. After coming off the bench in his first season, Leo had 17 tackles (6.5 for a loss) and 3.5 sacks as he learned the game as a 6-foot-7, 275-pound defensive end. “It was hard to move to a different country knowing that there’s just athletes scattered across this country,” Leo said. “Coming from Australia, a small country compared to America and just not knowing how I would fit in such a big society here and to be coming to a sport I’ve never played before and trying to earn that spot. “That was probably the biggest fear I had, but I knew I had a hard drive to work and I knew I would eventually earn my spot here.” Given his size and newness to the sport, Leo’s stock as a Division I prospect, with most scouting services placing him as a top-50 junior college recruit. “He’s addicted to the process that it takes to be the best,” Campbell said, “because there’s a personal investment for him to want to be the best.” Leo initially committed to Arizona, but flipped to ISU last winter. He’s been on campus since the second semester of last year, and his impact — without ever hitting the field — is already being felt by the Cyclones due to his work ethic. “When you have a guy like that who is a really good player on top of it,” Campbell said, “his investment level is really high, it starts to take all those young guys around him to say, ‘Man, I want to be like that guy.’ “That guy’s a really good player and look at the time and effort he puts into it, and it
“Someone had told me about the opportunity to play American football and earn a scholarship. That was enough said. I took the risk and came over here with no intention of where I was going to be. I knew I was going to earn a spot. I had to be a walkon but I knew I’d work my butt off to earn a spot on the team.” Matt Leo, Iowa State defensive end
starts to create a culture around you that says this is who we are and this is what we stand for. I think Matt has been a really great addition in terms of that aspect of it. His story is certainly unique, but his want-to is what makes him really special, in my opinion.” Soon, the 25-year-old Leo will get his chance to finally take that first real snap, making an unlikely dream reality, some 9,600 miles from where it started in another hemisphere. “It wasn’t an easy road and it hasn’t been quick,” Leo said, “but I’m here. Coach Campbell has given me the opportunity to play at this level at this school. I’m over the moon, and I never want to waste a day.”
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ISU TEAM STATS 2016INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL CATEGORIES 2016 IOWA STATE OPPONENTS
SCORING Points Per Game 27.67 31.33 Total 332
376
FIRST DOWNS Rushing 103 147 Passing 133 126 Penalty 17 20 Total 253 293 RUSHING Yards Gained 2,225 2,854 Yards Lost 272 236 Attempts 458 526 Average Per Attempt 4.3 5.0 Avg. Per Game 162.8 218.2 Touchdowns 18 23 Total 1,953 2,618 PASSING Att-Comp-Int 398-235-8 385-235-9 Avg. Per Attempt 7.80 7.32 Avg. Per Game 258.83 234.75 Touchdowns 21 25 Total 3,106 2,817 TOTAL OFFENSE Total Plays 856 911 Avg. Per Play 5.9 6.0 Avg. Per Game 421.6 452.9 Total Yards 5,059 5,435 Touchdowns 41 48 RETURNS Kickoff: Average 23.11 20.97 Kickoff: Total 44-1017 30-629 Punt: Average 9.42 4.40 Punt: Total 24-226 15-66 INT: Average 10.00 4.88 INT: Total 9-90 8-39 KICKING Punt: Avg. YPG 41.05 41.97 Punt: Net Average 38.88 36.10 Punt: Total Yards 58-2,381 59-2,476 FG: Good-Attempts 16-17 13-17 Onside Kicks 1-2 0-0 PENALTIES Avg. Per Game (YDS) 56.75 49.92 Total-Yards 76-681 62-599 TIME OF POSSESSION Avg. Per Game 29:39 30:21 Total 5:55:53 6:04:07 MISCELLANEOUS 3rd Down Conversions 76-177 (42.94%) 78-174 (44.83%) 4th Down Conversions 11-23 (47.83%) 9-15 (60.00%) Fumbles-Lost 13-8 8-4 Sacks-Yards Lost 19-100 32-188 Red Zone: Attempts-Scores 38-41 46-51 Red Zone: Touchdowns 24-41 33-51
(Bold denotes returners) OFFENSE
RUSHING # Player GP ATT Gain Loss Net AVG TD Long AVG/G 32 Montgomery, D. 12 109 579 16 563 5.2 2 46 46.92 2 Warren, M. 11 134 576 17 559 4.2 3 20 50.82 7 Lanning, J. 12 121 635 117 518 4.3 11 41 43.17 3 Nwangwu, K. 12 27 137 4 133 4.9 0 14 11.08 22 Harger, M. 10 18 109 0 109 6.1 1 17 0.90 10 Park, J. 10 36 143 84 59 1.6 1 35 5.90 8 Jones, D. 12 4 31 0 31 7.8 0 15 2.58 19 Ryen, T. 12 1 8 0 8 8.0 0 8 0.67 17 Kempt, K. 2 1 7 0 7 7.0 0 7 3.50 PASSING # Player GP Rating COMP ATT INT% YDS TD Long AVG 10 Park, J. 10 139.13 133 225 5 59.11% 1,791 12 67 7 Lanning, J. 12 135.92 99 170 3 58.24% 1290 9 49 17 Kempt, K. 2 163.00 2 2 0 100.00% 15 0 12 8 Jones, D. 12 184.00 1 1 0 100.00% 10 0 10 RECEIVING #Player GP NO YDS AVG TD Long AVG/G 5 Lazard,A. 12 69 1,018 14.75 7 67 84.83 8 Jones,D. 12 37 536 14.49 6 49 44.67 13 Daley,D. 11 24 406 16.92 3 59 36.91 19 Ryen,T. 12 37 388 10.49 2 44 32.33 80 Epps,C. 12 17 213 12.53 1 46 17.75 18 Butler,H. 11 9 134 14.89 2 39 12.18 32 Montgomery,D. 12 13 129 9.92 0 28 10.75 2 Warren,M. 11 12 98 8.17 0 38 8.91 88 Chandler,J. 12 4 49 12.25 0 22 4.08 14 Lee-Campbell,D. 10 2 43 21.50 0 34 4.30 16 Murdock,M. 9 2 29 14.50 0 15 3.22
DEFENSE
# Player GP Solo ASST TFL-YDS Sacks-YDS INT BU QBH FR FF KICK SAF 7 Harvey, W. 12 38 40 7.5-24 3.0-14 0 1 3 1 2 0 0 29 Seeley, K. 12 42 36 7.0-17 2.0-10 1 1 2 0 0 0 1 5 Cotton-Moya , K. 11 58 15 2.0-3 0-0 2 5 0 1 1 0 10 Peavy, B. 12 41 21 1.5-3 0.5-1 1 11 0 0 1 0 0 4 Edwards, E. 12 32 20 4.0-11 0-0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 9 Northrup, R. 11 26 24 3.5-10 1.0-5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 Wiltz, J. 12 32 17 2.0-9 0.5-6 2 9 0 0 0 0 0 25 Mills, B. 12 25 20 5.5-19 2.0-8 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 97 Tucker, D. 12 20 25 4.0-9 0-0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 3 Johnson, M. 12 21 23 1.5-3 0-0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 Payne, D. 11 36 8 5.5-10 0-0 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 12 Jones, J. 12 18 11 2.5-9 1.0-7 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 58 Meyers, M. 12 17 11 4.5-9 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 19 Bailey, J. 12 11 12 6.0-24 3.5-15 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 8 Thomas, J. 12 18 5 9.5-34 3.0-19 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 31 Jahlas, J. 12 8 15 3.5-7 0-0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 46 Benton, S. 12 9 12 2.0-10 1.5-9 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0
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ISU FOOTBALL | Sunday, August 27, 2017
Warren and Montgomery form friendship rather than rivalry Iowa State running backs David Montgomery and Mike Warren. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/ AMES TRIBUNE
By Travis Hines, Sports Editor thines@amestrib.com
They could easily be rivals. There was a time they probably were. Now, though, Mike Warren and David Montgomery have developed a relationship that transcends the competition for carries among the two Iowa State running backs. “Now not only are they teammates,” ISU coach Matt Campbell said, “but they’re almost best friends. They’re inseparable. That really started from when we came back for the winter. A lot of credit to both those guys. Michael to have a little bit of the humility to take David in and accept him, and then David having the willingness to say hey let’s work at this thing together. “Both those guys have been really, really fun to watch. What they’ve done is pushed each other, but yet they’re there for each other off the field. I think that’s really resonating with our football team.” Last year began with sky-high expectations for Warren after setting an ISU freshman record with 1,339 rushing yards along with five touchdowns. The hype wasn’t tampered by a coaching change as Campbell, as the Toledo head coach, had recruited Warren in high school, and ISU running back Louis Ayeni was staying in Ames, not only to coach running backs but to be Campbell’s associate head coach. Rather than flourish, though, Warren slumped. Badly. He managed just 30 yards in an upset loss to FCS Northern Iowa in the opener. Then he managed just 28 yards on seven carries in a 42-3 loss to rival Iowa the next week, and was publicly taken to task by Campbell in the press conference after the game. It initially looked that the wakeup call served its purpose as Warren responded with 95 yards against TCU, 103 against San Jose State and 130 against Baylor. He never again went for more than 60 yards and began to cede carries to Montgomery, a true freshman. “Michael, right or wrong, has a lot of publicity coming into last season,” Campbell said. “An awesome opportunity, right? All of a sudden they’re sharing these responsibilities.” Warren was dealing with an ankle injury and Montgomery’s ascendancy at the same time. “From my end, there was a lot of confusion,” Warren said. “The point is, I think I should have probably asked (Campbell) what was expected or what I could have done in order to fix last season. Adversity hit, and from there it just went downhill.”
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Meanwhile, Montgomery found loads of success. He had double-digit carries in the season’s final four games. He put up 169 yards against Kansas and another 141 against West Virginia. “I came in just wanting to work,” Montgomery said, “put my best foot forward and push myself to be better than I was the day before. Whatever time I got was the time I got, and I was grateful for it. I went in with a clear mind and tunnel vision.” Montgomery may have burst on to the scene and past Warren, but for the ISU coaching staff, it was no great surprise after watching him as a prep in Cincinnati. “I’ve always believed your best players have to be your hardest workers,” Campbell said, “and David embodies that in every way shape and form. “David is relentless at his craft. We have to almost literally get him out of this facility at night, because he wants to be here constantly.” Campbell sees a ceiling for Montgomery that is tantalizing. “His high-end potential is maybe better than any running back that I’ve had the ability to coach,” Campbell said. Montgomery’s success and Warren’s disappointment, though, created a situation where, from the outside, there was a perception that Warren might feel edged out and look for a new program. “That could have easily went one of two ways,” Campbell said. “Probably 90 percent of the time, that goes the way of negative because one guy is unhappy and a guy ends up leaving right or wrong.” Warren says there wasn’t a temptation to look for a new situation elsewhere. “I don’t think there was any thought at all,” he said. “Just coming from my background, my parents are military, they stuck it out all the time. “Those values are instilled in me.I have to stick it out as well.” Sticking it out meant sticking around with Montgomery. “Me and David,” Warren said, “we got tight, especially after the season. Coming in with him, getting extra work in or if I see him around, ask him if he wants to go watch film or something.” Instead of being cut-throat competitors, the two became conjoined. “These two, it almost brought them together,” Campbell said. “That took a lot of unselfishness and really a lot of true caring of each other for that to happen. I give so much credit to Michael and David because you just don’t see that. You don’t see that really happen.” It was so rare, Campbell initially questioned its genuineness. “Early on I was like, ‘Man is this really real or is this phony?’” the coach said. “As I
ISU DEPTH CHART
Iowa State running back David Montgomery and Mike Warren.
PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU
MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
saw it and watched it, then I watched both of them feeding off each other. That happened in spring practice and it happened this summer. “Now as we’ve started fall camp, I’ve watched those two and how they started fall camp. It’s been really fun because those two have made each other better. That’s what competition really is. Real programs, true programs where you’re developing, you compete with each other to be the best.” It’s a combination the two believe can help ISU’s offense. “As a unit,” Montgomery said, “me and
Mike together is a crazy duo.” It’s a sentiment their teammates share. “A show,” quarterback Jacob Park said of the pair. “It’s going to be fun to watch. I get in trouble sometimes, I don’t carry out my fake because I had Dave the ball and just watch him run.” Adversity overcome, a friendship developed and a dynamic backfield built. “There’s been time where I’ve wanted to get up or times where it got tough,” Montgomery said, “but (Warren) is the one who picked me up and told me you’ve got to keep going, this is going to be worth it all in the end. I thank him for that.”
OFFENSE QB 10 Jacob Park 6-4 210 Jr. 17 Kyle Kempt 6-5 210 Sr. or 4 Zeb Noland 6-2 222 Fr. RB 32 David Montgomery 5-11 219 So. 2 Mike Warren 6-0 211 Jr. TE 11 Chase Allen 6-7 230 Fr. 87 Sam Harms 6-4 232 Sr. F 47 Sam Seonbuchner 6-3 232 Jr. WRM 19 Trever Ryen 5-11 193 Sr. 8 Deshaunte Jones 5-10 179 So. WRX 5 Allen Lazard 6-5 222 Sr. 23 Matthew Eaton 6-4 209 Jr. WRZ 18 Hakeem Butler 6-6 219 So. or 16 Marchie Murdock 6-1 205 Sr. or 80 Carson Epps 6-1 211 Jr. LT 67 Jake Campos 6-8 300 Sr. 75 Sean Foster 6-8 304 Fr. LG 63 Robby Garcia 6-3 281 Sr. 50 Bryan Larson 6-4 285 Sr. C 51 Julian Good-Jones 6-5 293 So. 73 Will Windham 6-3 307 Jr. RG 70 Oge Udeogu 6-3 317 Jr. 66 Josh Knipfel 6-5 317 So. RT 74 Bryce Meeker 6-6 314 So. 69 Kory Kodanko 6-5 315 Jr. 58 J.D. Waggoner 6-3 248 Sr. 50 Eyioma Uwazurike 6-6 280 Fr. NG 76 Ray Lima 6-3 306 So. 92 Jamahl Johnson 6-0 314 So. DT 99 Vernell Trent 6-3 282 Sr. 89 Matt Leo 6-7 276 Jr. DEFENSE Leo 19 JaQuan Bailey 6-2 260 So. or 46 Spencer Benton 6-2 247 Jr. LB 42 Marcel Spears Jr. 6-1 215 So. 9 Reggan Northrup 6-1 205 Jr. LB 7 Joel Lanning 6-2 220 Sr. 43 Tymar Sutton 5-10 222 Fr. LB 7 Willie Harvey 6-0 222 Jr. 37 Mackenro Alexander 5-11 192 Sr. Star 4 Evrett Edwards 6-0 188 Sr. or 37 Mackenro Alexander 5-11 192 Sr. FS 5 Kamari Cotton-Moya 6-2 198 Sr. 4 Evrett Edwards 6-0 188 Sr. SS 3 Reggie Wilkerson 5-11 165 Sr. 11 Lawrence White 6-0 178 Fr. LC 1 D’Andre Payne 5-10 180 Jr. 32 Arnold Azunna 6-0 194 Fr. RC 10 Brian Peavy 5-9 190 Jr. 6 De’Monte Ruth 5-10 170 Jr. SPECIAL TEAMS P 13 Colin Downing 6-0 190 Sr. LS 39 Steve Wirtel 6-4 214 So. 60 Quinn Sonntag 6-0 221 So. H 16 Kyle Starcevich 6-3 224 Jr. PK 17 Garrett Owens 5-8 180 Sr. 41 Chris Francis 6-0 186 Jr. PR 19 Trever Ryen 5-11 193 Sr. 5 Allen Lazard 6-5 222 Sr. KR 3 Kene Nwangwu 6-1 202 So.
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Allen ready to hit the fi eld after vexing fi rst season By Travis Hines, Sports Editor thines@amestrib.com
Chase Allen is known more for what’s happened to him than anything he’s done. Getting hit by a car, contracting the mumps and developing meningitis all in your first few months on campus has a way of overshadowing any accomplishments, not to mention simply restricting them from even occurring. “It’s hard to stay positive whenever things like that kept getting thrown at you,” Allen said, “but I have a great family and a great support system and the coaches of course were awesome with me.” Before Allen became injury and sick — and quite possibly under a short-term curse — he looked on the track to play as a true freshman. “Going into it, especially near the end of camp,” Allen said, “I saw myself in some third-down packages and a lot of opportunities like that. So, I’m like, this is great to be able to get in on special teams and be able to get some experience on the field.” Allen did have some physical limitations even before the complications, but could have been a help to a position group that didn’t make much of a dent in 2016. “I think Chase would have been in the rotation a year ago if he was healthy,” tight ends coach Alex Golesh said. “He also weighed 225 pounds. That position is a physical position. You can run around and catch balls, but you’ve got to be able to line up and blcok defensive ends and block linebackers.” The calamities that hit Allen ultimately forced him to a redshirt season. “Just keeping myself motivated and keep working through things,” Allen said of his year on the sidelines, “and looking around at guys I came with that were maybe at the same skill level as me and now they’re much higher than I am, and I’m like well, I had to go through some setbacks, too. I keep an open mind and keep working.” Allen, though, didn’t come away from
Iowa State tight end Chase Allen.
PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
that year away from the field without any benefits. “Now I feel like I’m much more relaxed,” he said, “and I’ve learned so much more and I feel much more prepared to take the role on.” Somehow, though, Allen went from
potential-contributor to mystery prospect, the hype around his 2017 debut only growing despite not playing last season. “I enjoy the high expectations placed on me,” he said. “I have very high expectations for myself. I haven’t taken a snap yet, so I’m just trying to get out on the field first of all
and earn a spot and just do what I can do most to help our offense.” The circumstances have conspired to create an interesting situation for Allen and the Cyclones. The coaching staff is clearly high on him and his abilities, but is wary of putting too much on the shoulders on a young player, even one that’s been among their highest-rated recruits. “I think it’s probably a little too much hype for somebody who hasn’t played yet,” Golesh said. “It comes with recruiting, and it comes with people in this state that care, which is awesome. You’d rather have it that way than the other way. “I think he can handle it. I think he’s just got to set realistic expectations, and I’ve got to push him beyond those. But I think to put a number on it or say this is what we hope to get out of Chase is unfair to him.” Helping Allen’s pursuit of playing time is the high football-IQ that comes along with being the son of accomplished coach Terry Allen. “Chase’s background with his father and growing up as a coach’s son,” ISU coach Matt Campbell said, “I think you have a learning curve that’s a lot faster than the common player. I think Chase has always shown that. “I look forward to Chase. I think he can be a great asset to what we do offensively.” Not only does Allen have football IQ, he’s got books smarts in spades, too. “He’s a two-semester, 4.0 (GPA) kid,” Golesh said. As an engineering major, no less. “I used to take apart things in and around the house,” Allen said, “and (my parents) would be like, you probably shouldn’t’ take that apart, and I was like, I like taking things apart. “We used to have remote control car battles. My brother and I would take apart several remote control cars to make the deadliest remote control car. That was a lot of fun.” Now, Allen will try to find fun in dismantling Big 12 defenses.
ISU FOOTBALL | Sunday, August 27, 2017
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IOWA STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE NORTHERN IOWA WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m. WHERE: Jack Trice Stadium WHAT’S AT STAKE: ISU has lost to an FCS opponent in three of the last four years. The Cyclones cannot drop this game if they hope to make a bowl game.
IOWA WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m. WHERE: Jack Trice Stadium WHAT’S AT STAKE: The Hawkeyes whipped the ‘Clones, 42-3, in Matt Campbell’s first taste of the rivalry. Getting revenge at home will be paramount to ISU’s bowl chances and Campbell’s place in the Cy-Hawk matchup.
AKRON WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 16, 11 a.m. WHERE: InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field; Akron, Ohio WHAT’S AT STAKE: The last time ISU traveled to Ohio, Campbell’s Toledo team beat them in overtime. The Cyclones will want to avoid that mid-major defeat fate this time around.
TEXAS WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 28, 7 p.m. WHERE: Jack Trice Stadium WHAT’S AT STAKE: Tom Herman is making his return to ISU, where he was offensive coordinator at the start of the Paul Rhoads era, as the Longhorns’ head coach. This is a big stage Thursday night game for Campbell’s crew.
OKLAHOMA WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 7 WHERE: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium; Norman, Okla. WHAT’S AT STAKE: ISU hasn’t beaten the Sooners since 1990 and have just five wins overall against the Sooners in the series’ history. OU is among the Big 12 favorites, making this an extremely difficult proposition for the ‘Clones.
KANSAS WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 14 WHERE: Jack Trice Stadium WHAT’S AT STAKE: The Jayhawks are a must-win nearly every year, especially when the game is played in Ames. ISU won in Lawrence last year, and they’ll need to take care of business at home this season.
TEXAS TECH WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 21 WHERE: Jones AT&T Stadium; Lubbock, Texas WHAT’S AT STAKE: This is a winnable game for the Cyclones, even if it comes in the heart of Texas. The Red Raiders aren’t expected to be formidable, and Kliff Kingsbury is likely coaching for his job. This is a major swing game for ISU.
TCU WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 28 WHERE: Jack Trice Stadium WHAT’S AT STAKE: Gary Patterson’s team isn’t the best he’s had, but the Horned Frogs won’t be slouches, either. Another one of those 50/50 games (especially at home) that will be critical for ISU.
WEST VIRGINIA WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 4 WHERE: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium; Morgantown, W. Va. WHAT’S AT STAKE: When the calendar flips to November, the games just feel weightier. This will be a tough one for ISU, but a chance to pick up ground if they drop one they shouldn’t have in the season’s first two months.
OKLAHOMA STATE WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 11 WHERE: Jack Trice Stadium WHAT’S AT STAKE: Yes, it’s a home game, but this is about as tough as it’s going to get for ISU. The Cowboys are many pundits’ pick to win the league.
BAYLOR WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 18 WHERE: McLane Stadium; Waco, Texas WHAT’S AT STAKE: The Cyclones have lost by a combined 82 points the last two times they’ve visited Waco. The Bears are a different program now, though.
KANSAS STATE WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 25 WHERE: Bill Snyder Family Stadium; Manhattan, Kan. WHAT’S AT STAKE: The Wildcats are a darkhorse Big 12 contender, and Bill Snyder has owned the Cyclones in recent years. Whatever happens in Manhattan could have massive implications for both programs.
Freshmen to watch
LT Sean Foster (6-8, 304)
Foster nearly saw action last year as a true freshman, but was able to preserve his redshirt. There’s a lot of hope he can become the next great ISU offensive lineman, and he could see plenty of action this season.
RB Johnnie Lang (5-8, 189) The speedster from Florida could very well see time as a true freshman as the Cyclones’ kick returner, especially after last year’s true freshman sensation Kene Nwangwu isn’t able to play after an Achilles injury.
DL Eyioma Uwazurike (6-6, 280) The Detroit native picked the Cyclones over Michigan State and looked for a time to be on track to play as a true freshman last season, but instead spent the year redshirting. He’s likely to see plenty of time along a defensive line that will need to hold its own for the ISU defense to find success.
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BIG 12 2017 PREVIEW
ISU FOOTBALL | Sunday, August 27, 2017
BAYLOR
IOWA STATE
KANSAS
KANSAS STATE
OKLAHOMA
2016 RECORD: 7-6 (3-6) PRESEASON PICK: 7th THE STORY: Matt Rhule is in his first year at Baylor as the Bears try to begin to turn the page from the scandal-filled recent past. There, no doubt, will be ramifications that will — and should — echo well beyond football.
2016 RECORD: 3-9 (2-7) PRESEASON PICK: 9th THE STORY: There’s optimism in Ames in Year 2 of the Matt Campbell era with an offense that looks potent, but can the defense slow Big 12 attacks enough to get the Cyclones to six wins and their first bowl game since 2012?
2016 RECORD: 2-10 (1-8) PRESEASON PICK: 10th THE STORY: The Jayhawks should be better than last year’s squad that won just two games, but probably not markedly better. A bowl game isn’t even a pipe dream at this point, but improvement counts for something when you’re trying to move out of the cellar.
2016 RECORD: 9-4 (6-3) PRESEASON PICK: 3rd THE STORY: Kansas State is the wildcard pick to win the Big 12 this year, but perhaps the more interesting question is what’s the future look like? There’s no clear line of succession after Bill Snyder leaves, in fact there’s in-fighting about it.
2016 RECORD: 11-2 (9-0) PRESEASON PICK: 1st THE STORY: The Sooners would have been the overwhelming pick to win the league this season, but are now just the marginal favorite after Bob Stoops’ sudden retirement. This is quite the team — and expectation level — for first-year coach Lincoln Riley to inherit.
ISU FOOTBALL | Sunday, August 27, 2017 17
OKLAHOMA STATE 2016 RECORD: 10-3 (7-2) PRESEASON PICK: 2nd THE STORY: Mike Gundy and his iconic mullet have things rolling in Stillwater, and they’re the best bet to take on the rival Sooners atop the league. Do they have enough to get the job done and unseat the Sooners?
BIG 12 2017 PREVIEW
TCU
TEXAS
TEXAS TECH
2016 RECORD: 6-7 (4-5) PRESEASON PICK: 5th THE STORY: It was a disappointing 2016 for Gary Patterson’s group, but the Horned Frogs should be improved this season. They’ll be looking to crack the top-four.
2016 RECORD: 5-7 (3-6) PRESEASON PICK: 4th THE STORY: Charlie Strong’s tenure didn’t produce the results Texas expects, so they turned to Tom Herman to return the program to prominence. Herman’s won just about everywhere he’s been, but first-year results may be iffy in Austin.
2016 RECORD: 5-7 (3-6) PRESEASON PICK: 8th THE STORY: Kliff Kingsbury was the toast of Lubbock not too long ago, but now he’s on thin ice. The Red Raiders will have to show big improvement and snag plenty of wins to keep Kingsbury in his spot leading his alma mater.
WEST VIRGINIA 2016 RECORD: 10-3 (7-2) PRESEASON PICK: 6th THE STORY: The Mountaineers made it to double-digit wins last season, but they’re expected to take a step back in 2017. Still, West Virginia will be no easy task for teams this season.
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ISU FOOTBALL | Sunday, August 27, 2017
Noland ready to contribute year after ACL tear By Travis Hines, Sports Editor thines@amestrib.com
Zeb Noland just couldn’t shake the feeling. It lingered there in his surgically repaired knee, reminding the quarterback of the torn ACL that sidelined him his freshman season at Iowa State. Then, late last month, as he took one of the first snaps of his redshirt freshman season, something changed. “I went out there, kind of rolled out of the pocket,” he said, “and took off a little bit and I was surprised myself. I was just thankful I could roll out and not feel any pain.” It was a year in the making for the Georgia native after the knee injury robbed him of his first season, spring practice and much of summer. “It really wasn’t a healthy offseason,” ISU coach Matt Campbell said of Noland. “Fortunately or unfortunately for Zeb, it happened really early. The unfortunate piece is it happened early. The fortunate thing is he was able to overcome it. “I think it’s given him some confidence to go through that. There have been some ups and some downs through this process, but what I think he’s been able to do is overcome it and now put himself in a position to go out and compete.” Noland was able to hit the field for spring practice, but the knee still nagged.
“It bothered me a lott at times,” Noland said. “It was actually tuallywhen whenII would try to torque a throw hrowor orsomesomething, and I would reallylyfeel feelit.” it.” By the summer, though, ugh, Noland Noland started to turn the corner. ner. “I felt like I was 85, 90 90percent,” percent,” he said, “and I kept telling ingmyself myself it was mental. I think I broke brokethe the mental barrier in summer merconditionconditioning just running and cutting uttingwith withmy my treatment.” Now, he’s put himself elf in a position, along with Kyle Kempt, empt, to to be be the backup to starter Jacob acobPark Parkthis this season. “Zeb is certainly getting ttingmore more physical,” ISU quarterbacks backscoach coachJim Jim Hofher said. “I won’t say ay day-by-day, day-by-day, but clearly week-by-week ek since since we we have started practice. Really, Really,everyeverything is picking up steam amfor forhim. him. “He was incredibly limited imitedin in the spring, justifiably, and andhas hasbeen been working as hard in the training trainingroom room as he has in our classroom oomas ashe hehas has on the field. He’s coming ng along alongprobprobably at the right kind off pace.” pace.” Now, Noland is able to deliver on some of the promise hee began to show show a season ago. “Zeb really has beennfun funto towatch watch these first (few) days because ecause it’s it’s the the healthiest Zeb’s been,” Campbell Campbell said. “He’s taken a lot of team m reps. It’s It’s been been great to watch him move ve in the pocket with some confidence right rightnow, now,and and it’s been really fun to see ee him him back back
on the football field field playing football. Zeb Zeb really had a great great start start to things a year ago.” The year off the field, though, wasn’t without some adversity. “It’s been rough on him,” Park said. struggle “I’ve seen him stru ggleaalittle littlebit bitat at times, but he comes with a positive attitude everyday everydayand andhe heasks asksgood good reallyy questions. You can tell he just reall wants to get better.” without The adversity wasn’t without though. benefit either, thou gh. “I couldn’t honestly be more thankthankful,” Noland said. “I think it was a blessing in disguise disguisefrom fromthe thegood good Lord above that I tore my ACL and and got got to grow mentally. “I got to watch all the adversity adversit y happen and I was there for all the guys guys that were playing.” Noland now would seem to have have the inside track to that No. 2 spot, though the competition competition with with Kempt Kempt isn’t complete. “They’re both “They’re bothplaying playingat ataareally really high level,” Park said. “I think the comcom petition is doing doing good goodfor forboth bothof ofthem. them. It’s definitely definitely elevated elevatedtheir theirgame.” game.” beingg able to compete is a Just bein welcome sight after last season’s injury. injury. “It’s been fun to watch him go go out,” out,” Campbell said, “and be back on tthe he football field and help our football team.” team.”
Iowa State quarterback Zeb Noland throws a pass during the first day of practice at the Bergstrom Indoor Practice Facility. PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/AMES TRIBUNE
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ISU FOOTBALL | Sunday, August 27, 2017