Takeaways: Iowa State backup quarterbacks in dead heat
No major depth chart shock waves
Draw your own conclusion about Joel Lanning and Grant Rohach listed in a dead heat to backup Sam Richardson.
Lanning, a sophomore, has only a special teams play or two on his resume. Rohach, a junior, has five career quarterback starts in two seasons.
Offensive coordinator Mark Mangino told reporters two weeks ago they were co-No. 2s, and nothing had changed by Monday's depth chart release.
"We've got two backup quarterbacks," coach Paul Rhoads said. "We feel confident in what Joel and Grant bring to our football program. I don't feel it's necessary to name who that guy is. We have two guys very capable."
More Allen Lazard, you say?
Well, you might be seeing it. Either the talented sophomore receiver or sophomore Trever Ryen will return punts Saturday.
Lazard, one of the highest-ranked recruits in Rhoads' seven seasons at the school, hasn't caught anything but passes during his 12-game career.
"Catching the ball is what put the two guys at the top at punt return," Rhoads said. "Trever and Allen have done it with the most consistency, and that's why they're listed where they are."
And starting at tailback … ?
… good question.
The popular guess would be Tyler Brown, whose career statistics include 24 carries and 109 yards. Throw in Mike Warren and true freshman Joshua Thomas, too.
So coach, what's the plan?
"The plan would be to see a lot of bodies out there carrying the ball, and carrying it well," Rhoads said. "We'll play a number of running backs. Who's playing well — we'll go from there."
Later during his season-opening weekly press conference, Rhoads even said that Ryen could play running back, too.
"We felt we needed some added speed back there," Rhoads said.
Tricks with the depth chart
While Rhoads refused to say that Lanning is ahead of Rohach, or that Rohach is ahead of Lanning — that's nothing. UNI coach Mark Farley has four quarterbacks listed as Saturday's starter.
It will be either Eli Dunne, Aaron Bailey, Sawyer Kollmorgen or Dalton Demos. And if you're looking at the depth chart for clarity, forget it.
"They feel great about all their quarterbacks," Rhoads said. "If the competition has gone on this long — all of them are playing extremely well and making it very hard on the head coach and the offensive coordinator to make a decision."
So how does Iowa State prep?
"You have to defend the offense," Rhoads said.
Keep an eye on …
Among the newcomers playing their first Iowa State game Saturday will be much-heralded defensive tackle Bobby Leath.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound junior transfer joined the team just before fall camp started, so understandably he's behind, right?
"Probably a little ahead," Rhoads countered. "He had some shoulder problems through camp, so he's not taken every practice rep. Even with that being the case, he's picked up well what we're asking him out of the position."
He wasn't listed on the depth chart, but nothing should be read into that.
"He's got a chance to grow fast as the season gets going," Rhoads said.
Big-play Sam Richardson
That's the plan, considering Iowa State has a veteran quarterback throwing to veterans like Lazard, Quenton Bundrage and D'Vario Montgomery.
"We're more experienced," Richardson said. "We've got pretty electric guys."
The Cyclones had only four passing plays longer than 50 yards last season. Two of them went to Tad Ecby, who no longer is on the team.
"Throwing the ball deep a lot and hopefully getting a lot of touchdowns — it's going to be fun," Richardson said.
A new record
Iowa State announced Monday that the Sept. 12 home game against Iowa is a 61,500-ticket sellout — and that just around 600 tickets for Saturday's 7 p.m. game against Northern Iowa remain.
All of which means that the Jack Trice Stadium record of 56,800 will be smashed in both the first two weeks of the season.
Northern Iowa returned around 400 of its 2,000 ticket allotment.
Anderson surgery set
Backup tight end Cole Anderson's surgery to repair an ACL that he tore two weeks ago will be Thursday.