Bundrage leading by example with new perspective after injury

AMES — In the early hours of every morning, Quenton Bundrage walks into an empty locker room.

Arriving first at the Iowa State football facility isn't unusual — he's been doing it since he arrived in Ames — but this season is different. A cruel knee injury took away his junior year and Bundrage now has perspective on the game he loves.

'I always get up in time,' Bundrage smiled. 'I lay my clothes out early so I can move kind of quick.'

The red-shirt senior might be the first one in the locker room or dining hall every day, though Bundrage is quick to point out he's not a morning person. But he knows how arriving early can set an example.

'That tells me his mindset is right,' said ISU coach Paul Rhoads. 'There is absolutely nothing discouraging about what 'Q' is doing out there.'

In 2013, Bundrage emerged as a big-play threat for the Cyclones and led the team in catches (48), receiving yards (676) and touchdown catches (9). But on the fourth play of the first game last season, the Palmetto, Fla., native went down.

His season was over with a torn ACL. As devastating as the diagnosis was, Bundrage saw the year on the sidelines as an opportunity to grow, and not as something that would hold him back. He took the opportunity to learn the game from a coach's perspective.

'He put in the work in the offseason to get himself ready and rehab his knee,' said receivers coach Tommy Mangino. 'I think there is a focus to him that he wants to lead the program, lead the group and he's been vocal more so than I've ever seen him.'

When Bundrage saw players taking a play off or running a route the wrong way, he wouldn't sit back and watch. He made sure everybody knew what was happening.

'I was probably more vocal than I ever had been mainly because I was hurting and couldn't lead by example,' Bundrage said. 'I really had to get out there and yell at guys. Even when they did something right, I still said there was something they could have done better or when somebody did something wrong, I tried to correct them.'

Dishing out tough love not only helped Bundrage through his rehab, but his teammates were able to learn through instruction from a peer. And the learning hasn't stopped this fall now that Bundrage is full go.

'You just see him working every day,' said sophomore receiver Allen Lazard. 'Just by him showing up and being there, you know you have to raise your game a little bit more. Because if he's going to bring it, that means you have to bring it as well.'

The ability to make big plays — like his 97-yard touchdown reception against Texas to break the ISU record for longest pass in school history — wasn't lost when Bundrage's knee gave out. If anything, he's ready to return as a more seasoned player in his final season at Iowa State.

'It just made me look at life differently,' Bundrage said. 'Anything can be taken away from you at any moment. So I do appreciate that I'm able to be here for my last season, go out and play in front of the fans one more time.'

A CLOSER LOOK AT WIDE RECEIVERS

Depth chart

Z 1. D'Vario Montgomery, 6-6, 213, junior; 2. Brett Medders, 6-3, 207, senior; 3. Quan West, 6-4, 226, junior; 4. Darius Lee-Campbell, 6-2, 214, red-shirt freshman

F 1. Quenton Bundrage, 6-2, 198, senior; 2. Jauan Wesley, 5-11, 181, sophomore; 3. Orion Salters, 5-9, 177, red-shirt freshman

X 1. Allen Lazard, 6-5, 223, sophomore; 2. Dondre Daley, 6-2, 191, junior; 3. Brandon Harris, 6-0, 191, sophomore

The starters

Of all the position groups throughout the Iowa State football team, the wide receivers are the most talented and arguably deepest at what they do. The likes of Montgomery and Lazard at 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-5, respectively, will give quarterback Sam Richardson big targets with sure hands. Bundrage should continue to be a big-play threat downfield, and pick up where he left off before a knee injury took away his 2014 season.

The backups

Daley has gotten the attention of coaches throughout fall camp and will provide quality depth to Lazard. He had 21 catches, 208 receiving yards and one touchdown last year and has five starts to his name. Wesley and Salters could live up in the slot as small, shifty receivers to make up for the departure of Jarvis West.

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