Richardson's ready, and so is his backup

 By Rob Gray

 Correspondent

 AMES - Iowa State quarterback Sam Richardson's sore right ankle saga keeps attracting subplots.

First, a groin injury added to his ongoing pain.

Now, a banged-up thumb's found its way onto the list of maladies as Richardson prepares - again - to play at least somewhat hurt for the fifth consecutive time in Saturday's 6 p.m. Big 12 matchup (ESPNU) at 12th-ranked and heavily-favored Baylor.

“It's just annoying injuries, to be honest,” said Richardson, who is slated to start against the Bears, with backup Grant Rohach on the ready. “Like a jammed thumb. It's not big injuries or anything. It's just something that nags at you that you need to get treatment for, so it's not anything too bad.”

Despite the health issues stemming from hits absorbed in the season-opening loss to Northern Iowa, Richardson's continued to take care of the football.

He's thrown for 18 career touchdowns and five interceptions.

He's yet to lose a fumble in 112 career carries - including while being sacked 17 times this season alone.

But a less-than-fully-stable base has affected his ability to put zip on throws, while hindering his effectiveness in the running game.

Richardson completed a career-low 39.5 percent of his passes in last Saturday's 42-35 loss at No. 16 Texas Tech.

“Obviously, your touch comes from your release and your arm,” ISU offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham said. “But your strength and your ability to throw the ball without having to, quote, grunt to throw it down the field comes from your lower body and your ability to transfer. He's getting better and better each week. Obviously, statistically he wasn't nearly as good as we need him to be this past week, but he's getting closer. Now, all of you watched it and obviously he took some shots and he's a long ways from totally healthy. There's no doubt about that, but he's coming in the right direction.”

So is Rohach.

The 6-1, 210-pound redshirt freshman, both Rhoads and Messingham said, was extremely close to seeing his first competitive snaps in the Sept. 14 loss to Iowa because of Richardson's tenuous health status.

What held Rohach back?

“He did not have good preparation leading up to the Iowa game,” said Rhoads, whose team (1-4, 0-2) upset Baylor (5-0, 2-0) by two touchdowns in Ames last season. “Had he, we would have played him in the Iowa game, quite honestly. Since then, he has (prepared well). And as guys have improved on the field every week, he's a guy that has improved, I'd use the word dramatically, in practice every week. He's noticeably a different Grant Rohach then he was pre-Iowa.”

That puts the strong-armed Californian again on high alert in case Richardson - who has been receiving up to three treatments a day in recent weeks for his ankle - can't go.

Richardson said he's feeling “pretty good,” and expects to play.

Whether he does or not, he added, is the coaches' call.

“I think If I feel I'm able to play I'm obviously going to get as good as I can and go out there on the field and perform the way that I can,” Richardson said. “You've got to do what you've got to do during the week, but once it comes to game time, you've just got to be ready to roll.”