Lanning ready for shot to start against Texas

AMES — Iowa State football players had a lot of information that needed to be processed on Monday morning.

Joel Lanning just had a little bit more to handle than everybody else.

News broke at Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads' news conference that Mark Mangino was out as offensive coordinator and Todd Sturdy was in. Just hours before, Sturdy gave Lanning the news he would take over as starting quarterback against Texas and have full command of the offense.

Lanning met with reporters in the wake of all of the news hitting him with a surreal feeling.

'My stomach is kind of eating at me a little bit and I'm not getting hungry,' Lanning said. 'Just thinking about Saturday and getting a little nervous, but there's really no reason to be at all. It's just like another week and just preparing myself like I have in the past.'

Lanning is fresh off playing for 2 1/2 quarters against No. 2 Baylor where he was 12-for-17 for 144 yards and three touchdowns and gave a spark to a struggling ISU offense.

At 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds, the sophomore also provides a dynamic compliment to Mike Warren and Joshua Thomas in the running game, which is something the Cyclones (2-5, 1-3) lacked at times with Richardson.

'Joel's performance all year has been solid, but his performance in the second half especially was really sharp, earning him the role and opportunity to start this game,' Rhoads said.

Lanning's size and arm strength have always been eye-catching, but his ability to run the offense and read defenses were question marks earlier in his career. He's now played roughly a full game — between time at Texas Tech and Baylor — and has put a lot of questions to rest in the minds of his teammates.

'There's sometimes during practice where I'll be lined up and all of a sudden it's Joel's voice behind me,' said offensive lineman Brock Dagel. 'You wouldn't even know it if you didn't hear his voice because Coach Sturdy gets those guys coached so well. We're going to go forward regardless and I don't really foresee any differences. We're just going to make plays.'

The Longhorns (3-4, 2-2) are winners of their last two — against Oklahoma and Kansas State — but have shown vulnerabilities on defense, particularly through the air. But the way Warren — who has 797 yards on the ground — is running, Lanning is feeling ready for whatever Texas might throw at him Saturday night in Jack Trice Stadium.

'This is what I wanted since I've been here, to get a chance,' Lanning said. 'Now I've got to go out there and prove I can play and do it again and be successful.'

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