Iowa State anxious to get back on football field

AMES — Matt Campbell found it difficult to sit idle last weekend when there was college football being played.

The Iowa State football team completed its only in-season bye week Saturday and among a plethora of other responsibilities, the Cyclones coach tuned into some of the action during the weekend.

'It was hard for me to sit back and watch college football Saturday and not be in that arena,' Campbell said Monday in his weekly news conference. 'I hope our kids feel that way. You want to be out there and want to be part of that.'

Sitting out a week might have added to the hunger Campbell has to be a part of the spectacle, but he also recognized the bye week was much needed. It provided an opportunity for his team to get healthy mentally and physically before it enters a five-week stretch to end the regular season.

'A lot of guys on our team needed rest,' said quarterback Joel Lanning. 'I know myself, just rest and letting my mind rest was kind of relaxing, and getting guys that were nursing some type of injury back.

'I think it was big for us to just relax for a week and just watch games and see how things happen. I think we'll be ready to go, and we had a good practice yesterday.'

Injuries had hampered a few key contributors in recent weeks and, even though the Cyclones (1-6, 0-4) continued to practice, there wasn't a game awaiting them Saturday. Wide receiver Trever Ryen, cornerback Jomal Wiltz and safety Kamari Cotton-Moya perhaps needed it the most.

Ryen has been dealing with a sprained ankle while Cotton-Moya has had nagging ailments the last several weeks. All three guys are listed atop the depth chart at their respective positions, although Campbell said their recovery would continue to be evaluated.

'If we had to play last weekend it wouldn't have been great for us,' Campbell said. 'Some of those guys were withheld throughout the week, trying to get those guys healthy and I think we'll have a really good idea where we're at Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.'

In Iowa State's five-game stretch to end the regular season, four of those games are in Jack Trice Stadium — the lone road game is at Kansas on Nov. 12. First up is a tilt with Kansas State on Saturday at 11 a.m. (FSN).

All of the Wildcats (4-3, 2-2) losses have come on the road, but they are 2-1 in their last three games, mostly recently a 24-21 win against Texas. Kansas State owns the second-best overall defense in the Big 12, but is last in the league in overall offense.

'I think they're the most sound and disciplined team probably in the country, definitely in the conference,' said wide receiver Allen Lazard. 'They don't have the big recruits, not 4 or 5-star guys and stuff, but they're definitely disciplined, they do what they're coached to do and they make plays.'

DEPTH CHART UPDATE

Iowa State hasn't made significant changes to its public depth chart in weeks, but on the heels of the bye week, the Cyclones issued a couple tweaks.

Tight end Sam Harms, who has started the last three games, is listed ahead of senior Justin Chandler. Harms, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior, has been primarily used as a blocker and has one catch for a yard at Oklahoma State.

After defensive lineman Jhaustin Thomas moved from defensive end to defensive tackle two games ago, true freshman JaQuan Bailey has taken a starting spot on the defensive line. He has eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss with 2.0 sacks and a pass break up.

Iowa State lost defensive end J.D. Waggoner (pectoral) for the season with Bailey taking on more snaps in the absence.

'The more we've slowly given to him the more he's handled it and been able to make things happen with it,' Campbell said. 'The second half of the Texas game may have been the best he's played all season long.

'He kind of started as specialty guy and now all of a sudden he's a guy that's kind of leading that Leo position. It's a lot to ask of a freshman, but obviously he's earned that and we'll see how that continues as the season goes on.'

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