Rohach struggles to fill in

LAWRENCE, Kan. - In a sling for most of the week, Sam Richardson walked onto the field in Kansas Memorial Stadium in sweats Saturday, knowing he was about to miss his first game of the season.

Richardson's absence paved the way for sophomore Grant Rohach.

Rohach made his fifth career start - first this season - and was set to face a team Iowa State blew out last season with him under center. The script was flipped this year, though, as Kansas handed the Cyclones a 34-14 defeat.

Rohach said he was never 100 percent sure he would get the start since the extent Richardson's injury was unknown. That the most difficult part of stepping in, he said.

'Living on that edge would be difficult, but you've got to be ready at any time,” Rohach said. 'Especially Iowa State quarterbacks with injuries and anything of that sort, you've got to be ready at any time and play well at any time.”

Coach Paul Rhoads said the staff thought Richardson had a shot to be ready to play against Kansas, but was deemed not ready to go Thursday. Rhoads said there were certainly things Rohach could have done better as the quarterback, but the loss came as as a team.

As for Iowa State's next game Nov. 22 against Texas Tech, Rhoads hopes Richardson will be ready to go.

'That's two long weeks away,” Rhoads said. 'He was closing in on being ready for this game, so I'd like to believe with 14 days that he'll be ready to go against Texas Tech.”

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