Rhoads expecting a whirlwind of emotions in Cyclones' Saturday scrimmage

AMES - Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads is prepared to grimace and smile.

Sometimes, simultaneously.

Rhoads hopes to see sound fundamentals and keen mental awareness showcased by his mostly young Cyclones in Saturday's 2 p.m. spring game.

But depending on which side of the ball's performing best, that will translate to turnovers and/or touchdowns - hence the likely conflicted emotional states.

“I want to see the defense make great plays to take the ball away,” said Rhoads, who expressed concern when the offense lost five turnovers in last Saturday's scrimmage. “I don't want to see the defense given plays to take the ball away. We gave them some picks, offensively speaking, on Saturday. You'd better make those plays defensively - and they kill you as an offense.”

The decision on who eventually triggers that offense, as expected, will stretch into fall camp.

Rhoads has seen progress from both Jared Barnett and Steele Jantz, but needs to discern more separation before settling on one for the Sept. 1 season opener against Tulsa.

“Jared was very efficient with his reps (on Saturday),” Rhoads said. “He's not a flashy guy, he doesn't have the biggest arm, but his football teams were productive. Steele was a little flashy. He showed us the same guy that we saw in the first two in a half games (last season) with his escapability, with his ability to make people miss. He does have great velocity on his ball.”

Barnett started the final six games of 2011.

Jantz started the first seven - before a foot sprain impeded his mobility.

“Last year was kind of a new feeling, a little overwhelming,” Jantz said last week. “So I'm just comfortable. I can tell. A little more relaxed.”

And while Jantz and Barnett seek to calmly enhance their starting hopes, hungry defenders hope to wreak havoc on their routines.

Case in point: Linebackers Jeremiah George and Jevohn Miller.

Both played last season, but saw their roles expand this spring while leading tackler Jake Knott is limited to non-contact situations after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.

Still, Knott and fellow linebacker A.J. Klein have been vocal in the meeting room and on the practice field.

“They both teach very well,” George said, noting Knott sometimes adopts a more light-hearted approach. “Just different ways of doing it.”

ISU will feature lots of different players Saturday, as well.

It's not a game so much as a scrimmage, with those clean, back-to-basic goals trumping any points put on the board or gaudy stat lines.

“If a DB's running blind with a receiver and turns late and reacts quickly and stabs the ball out of the air, I'm going to be thrilled and not going to be overall disappointed offensively that it happened,” Rhoads said. “If a ball is stripped out, I'll be happy and mad on that one. A ball should never get stripped out from a ball carrier, but glad the defense is being aggressive.”

INJURY REPORT: Rhoads said offensive lineman Shaban Dika tore his ACL and will have surgery this week. “We think Shaban really had the opportunity to challenge for a starting position, so disappointed with that,” he said. ... Offensive lineman Brayden Burris will not play in the spring game because of a sprained ankle. Defensive end Roosevelt Maggitt is expected to take part in drills this week, but his status for the game is uncertain. He's coming off knee surgery and a lengthy rehab.