Richardson ready to fire

AMES - There's a reason Sam Richardson won and has held onto the starting quarterback job for Iowa State this season.

His more developed leadership role has been a key in helping the Cyclone offense improve throughout the season.

After suffering a shoulder injury against Oklahoma and missing the game against Kansas, Richardson is expected to start today when the Cyclones host Texas Tech at Jack Trice Stadium.

All week, the coaching staff has done all they can to get him ready, even putting him on a pitch count.

'(Coaches have) got a set amount of throws they want to see me throw and make sure I make those throws before Saturday, so that's kind of the plan for this week,” Richardson said.

'He's throwing the deep ball as well as the short stuff,” said Coach Paul Rhoads. '(Sunday) not only did he do it very accurately, but he did it with velocity, too. To be honest, there's really nothing concerning unless there would be an unforeseen setback for whatever reason.”

While Richardson isn't expected to be at full health, the pitch count has helped save his arm during the last two weeks and, at the same time, get him ready to run the offense again.

The junior's return not only gives the Cyclones the opportunity to be more productive, but it brings an element of comfort to the group. In starting the first eight games, the familiarity with offensive personnel isn't something that can be easily replaced in the final four games.

'It's good to have him back and he's probably the happiest guy in the world to be back,” said offensive coordinator Mark Mangino. 'He doesn't like missing.”

Through the week of practice, one of the main focuses of Richardson is to regain the velocity he showed for much of the season when he delivers the ball. And with the expected cold temperatures, keeping his arm warm will be key.

'Maybe not throwing too much on the sidelines, but just trying to keep warm with maybe a jacket or something,” Richardson said. 'It'll be kind of testy and we'll see how it goes.”

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