Iowa State insider

Life in the Red
 E-mail Story
 Print
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

By CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star

Difference-maker

Alexander Robinson has reached 100 yards rushing four times this season and was headed that direction in two other games until a strained groin muscle sent him to the sideline.

The third-year starter leads the Big 12 with a 105.3-yard average, and against Nebraska last year dashed 67 yards for the Cyclones’ only score in a 35-7 loss.

[+]Enlarge

Iowa State's Alexander Robinson scores on a 32-yard touchdown reception during the fourth quarter against Army on Sept. 26. ISU won 31-10. (AP file)

Iowa State's Alexander Robinson scores on a 32-yard touchdown reception during the fourth quarter against Army on Sept. 26. ISU won 31-10. (AP file)

“They run their system very well with their zone reads and play-action passing. He’s a good back to fake it to,” Baylor’s Art Briles said after Robinson rushed for 83 yards to help the Cyclones beat his club 24-10 last Saturday.

Robinson had 72 yards on 16 first-half carries, but he ran the ball just three more times before coming out during the second series of the second half.

Two weeks earlier against Kansas State, he ripped off a 37-yard run on the final play of the third quarter, giving him 47 yards for the game, but Robinson went to the sideline having aggravated the injury he originally suffered Sept. 26 against Army.

“They have what has become the replay of the option with the quarterback and running back, so either one of them could carry it,” KSU head coach Bill Snyder said of Robinson and quarterback Austin Arnaud, who often line up beside each other and head in opposite ways following the snap of the ball. “They can run that 800 times in a game, and they’re both major threats. Robinson runs hard, has got good quickness and change-of-direction to him. He can get on the edge very quickly.”

Though he came up gimpy against Army, Robinson finished with 129 yards and a TD, and also scored on a reception to warrant being named the Big 12’s co-offensive Player of the Week. In its first three games, Army had not allowed anyone to gain 100 yards.

“They (Iowa State) have a very big, very physical line, so they can finesse you with the quarterback’s legs; they can beat on you with Robinson’s legs,” Army’s Rich Ellerson said.

After having to come out of the Kansas State game, Robinson bounced back with his best collegiate effort, rushing 27 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-36 loss at Kansas.

Press Box: Look ahead to Iowa State



Others to watch

Jesse Smith

Linebacker / Sr. / 6-0 / 234 pounds

Good luck fooling him, because he’s as good a fundamental defender there is in the Big 12. He’s had five games of double-digit tackles and leads conference players with 75 stops.

Leonard Johnson

Cornerback-return man / So. / 5-10 / 189 pounds

A freshman All-American as a kickoff return man, Johnson also can burn you defensively. He had five tackles and pick last week against Baylor and six stops while forcing a fumble at Kansas.

Cyclones on offense

Under former Rice offensive coordinator Tom Herman, ISU is fond of shotgun deception with the second-year starter Austen Arnaud and Alexander Robinson. But the Cyclones real M.O. is to run the ball, and with Robinson becoming the first Iowa State player to have three straight 100-yard games since Ennis Haywood in 2000, the Cyclones have the Big 12’s top ground game. When Robinson left against Kansas State, redshirt freshman Jeremiah Schwartz picked up the slack with 76 yards on 21 carries.

After throwing for the third-most yards (2,792) in school history last season, Arnaud has become more of a dual threat. This year, he’s thrown for 1,246 yards and nine touchdowns and rushed for another 434 yards and seven TDs. His career completion percentage of 59.7 is the best in school history, but this year he’s thrown five interceptions (third most among Big 12 quarterbacks). He had to leave last week’s game against Baylor early in the second half because of a swollen hand, but has been practicing this week. A sure clue about how quickly Arnaud gets the ball out comes from the fact ISU is No. 2 nationally in sacks allowed (3).

Some credit belongs to a line that has three first-time starters mixed in with center Reggie Stephens (35 starts at three positions) and right tackle Scott Haughton (who started just four games in 2008).

Herman’s offense — which in three conference games has produced nine TD drives of at least 64 yards (and another of 57) — calls for a bunch of athletic receivers, and 6-3 senior Marquis Hamilton fits the bill. He leads the Cyclones with 31 catches, eight more than former walk-on Jake Williams. ISU’s other wideout, Darius Darks, set a school freshman record with 49 catches last season, but has just seven this year. Tight end Derrick Catlett is an under-the-radar talent — a fierce blocker who, as his 17 grabs for 215 yards would lead you to believe, has soft enough hands to be a legitimate receiving threat.

Cyclones on defense

This is more of your typical Iowa State defense — for now maybe one (Jesse Smith) all-conference caliber player. But with Paul Rhoads coming back to his home state after being defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh, you know the Cyclones are going to be lined up right, and they’ll try to lay the wood. The middle linebacker Smith has 29 more tackles than any of his teammates and has led ISU in each of the last four games.

Though you might not suspect it, the best overall talent rests in the secondary, with experienced corners Kennard Banks and Leonard Johnson, the junior-college transfer Davis Sims at strong safety and senior James Smith at the free spot. That quartet has seven interceptions and 10 breakups, but also has been prone to giving up some pretty significant passing yardage (ISU’s average ranks ninth in the Big 12) thanks in large part to the Cyclones’ front seven not getting consistent enough pressure.

The 14 players from those positions currently on the two-deep list have recorded just six total sacks and 10 quarterback hurries.

ISU suffered a huge loss when senior end Rashawn Parker suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Army game. Sophomore left end Patrick Neal, made his first career start against Kansas State. Last year, Neal was a tight end. Senior right end Christopher Lyle has been a plus (34 tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries), as has weak-side linebacker Fred Garrin (46 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and four tackles for loss).

Both of Garrin’s picks came last week against Baylor. Johnson also has two thefts, while the junior Sims leads the team with three. Sims originally signed with Oklahoma out of his Gainesville, Fla., high school before going the JUCO route.

Cyclones on special teams

Considering that special teams may be the Cyclones’ strong suit, it was strange to see the kicking game both things against Kansas and Kansas State. Sophomore place-kicker Grant Mahoney is 9-of-14 on field goals this season, including 2-of-4 from 50-plus yards. It didn’t matter that he missed three of four against Baylor, but had had a PAT try blocked that prevented the Cyclones from taking Kansas State into overtime, then missed two more and had a bad hold kill a planned 26-yard field goal attempt in a five-point loss at Kansas. Senior punter Mike Brandtner is averaging 43.5 yards, the third best single-season mark in school history. More impressive is the net average of 41.26 — a figure that ranks No. 5 nationally. Leonard Johnson is No. 3 all-time at ISU in kickoff returns with a career average of 24.95 yards. Josh Lenz has a 44-yard punt return, but in his other 12 runbacks has totaled just 11 yards.