ISU is 0-for-2, but it’s very much into this

AMES - Players-only meetings often carry a negative undertone. For Iowa State, their new middle linebacker simply wanted to say hello.

'We had a great practice that day and I wanted to make sure everyone knew we had a great practice,” said senior Jevohn Miller, who moved over from weakside to the middle and immediately improved ISU's defense last week. 'I wanted to show what I was going to bring to the field as far as energy and I wanted everyone else to be out there with me.”

The defense met before the Cyclones' 32-28 Big 12 loss last weekend to Kansas State. By all accounts, they united. Head coach Paul Rhoads was all for that.

'I don't think I ever would've seen Jevohn as a leader,” Rhoads said Monday, 'as a guy who would be vocal, as a guy who would step up. It's not a knock on him, some guys are and some aren't. . . . Proud of him for stepping up and getting up and laying some things out necessary for us to be successful.”

Yes, the Cyclones are 0-2 headed into Saturday's matchup with Iowa (2-0) at Kinnick Stadium. In their first loss at Jack Trice Stadium, the Cyclones jumped to a 14-0 lead before allowing 34 unanswered points to North Dakota State, the three-time and defending FCS national champion.

ISU lost its top receiver Quentin Bundrage for the season with a torn ACL against NDSU. Bundrage joined O-lineman Tom Loth, who suffered a career-ending knee injury during the team's first fall practice. Last week, starting right tackle Jacob Gannon, a senior, quit the team. Coming out of the K-State loss, linebacker and special teams standout Levin Peters was lost for the year with an Achilles heel injury.

In the face of the ups and downs, unity is one of those intangible elements that ISU knows it will need working for it.

'We came out of there motivated,” senior defensive end Cory Morrissey said. 'Jevohn stood up and said his words. He got the linebackers in line and we came out of it ready to go.”

What else does ISU have going for it? The offensive made strides from week 1 to week 2 with first-year coordinator Mark Mangino moving from the press box to the sidelines.

Quarterback Sam Richardson stayed strong to the pocket and completed 21 of 30 for 185 yards, a TD and interception.

A reveal for the Cyclones' offense - which last week started right tackle Jake Campos and wide receiver Allen Lazard, the state's top two recruits each of the last two years - was wide receiver Jarvis West. The 5-7, 171-pounder, who earned Big 12 special teams player of the week honors, had a hand in three touchdowns. He caught a 17-yard TD pass, returned a punt 82 yards for a score and threw a 29-yard touchdown pass.

The St. Petersburg, Fla., native has his eye on the big play with every touch.

'I would say yeah,” said West when asked if he's looking for the home run. 'As much as possible, but whatever happens, happens. I'm comfortable enough to say that I can make little plays when they're available.”

Football was the main topic in the ISU football complex on Monday. It wasn't the Cy-Hawk Trophy, it wasn't questions to Rhoads about this being ISU's Super Bowl. It was a bluster-free zone.

'I don't pay attention to the hype, in years past or currently,” Rhoads said. 'It's our next game, it happens to be against our in-state rival. They're a very good football team that's undefeated and on the brink of being ranked in the nation's top 25.

'We played poorly in week 1, played a lot better in week 2 and we're going to have to play a lot better in week 3 to have an opportunity to compete.”

Still, it always boils, right? The first question for Morrissey, a senior from Gilbert, was about his matchup with preseason all-American offensive tackle Brandon Scherff. (Scherff injured his right knee and left last week's victory over Ball State, but returned after a series. He was listed as a starter on Monday's depth chart.)

'I'm just scouting out my opponent and going in like it's any other game,” Morrissey said. 'I'm just going to do my thing. . . . The scouts are looking at him. You get the big media press on him, but he's a good player.”

Asked again.

'I'm just going to go out there and do my thing and play my game against him,” he said, 'and see if he can match it.”

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