ISU’s Pollard has had enough

STILLWATER, Okla. - After a series of events all too reminiscent of past Iowa State struggles, even the head Cyclone decided enough was enough and it was time to get vocal about it.

Iowa State Athletics Director Jamie Pollard was the first to address the media Saturday after the Cyclones' 37-20 loss to No. 23 Oklahoma State at Boone Pickens Stadium.

His message was clear: enough is enough when it comes to Big 12 officiating.

'We've been on the short end of several controversial calls,” a defiant Pollard said with Coach Paul Rhoads at his side. 'And it's hard to sit idle and watch ESPN, Fox, other announcers not debate, but feel sorry for Iowa State because maybe there will be another apology for a call.”

The statement was precipitated by yet another controversial decision by Big 12 officials. With 43 seconds left in the first half, the score tied at 6-6 and a game Iowa State defense having frustrated the potent Oklahoma State offense with three sacks and two interceptions, the Iowa State kick return team botched a 'sky” kickoff that landed untouched at the ISU 22-yard line between the back wall of DeVondrick Nealy and Aaron Wimberly. Shooting between the two, the ball was pounced on by opportunistic Cowboy coverage teamer Elliott Jeffcoat at the ISU 11-yard line.

'It was just a mistake we're going to have to get right,” Wimberly said. 'Just a mistake the team made. ... We should have looked at his angles kicking and adjusted to it.”

Five plays later, Oklahoma State faced third-and-goal from the 2. Tailback Desmond Roland appeared to be stopped by middle linebacker Jevohn Miller short of the goal line as time expired.

Officials on the field ruled no touchdown, but that call was overturned after a video review and the jubilant Cowboys trotted to the locker room up 13-6.

'Gave the ball back to them,” Rhoads said. 'And then stood up as a defense and did execute and had a chance to go to the locker room 6-6 with momentum on our side after a bad play. That, that did not happen today.”

The sequence was eerily similar to the non-fumble call in Iowa State's 31-30 loss to Texas nearly a year ago to the day in Ames, which elicited a now-legendary postgame Rhoads rant. There was no passionate rant from Rhoads this time. Pollard delivered the message.

'I can think of three situations where the fine has been pretty great because we lost games as a result of calls that either we were apologized for, or the media certainly felt we should have been apologized to,” Pollard said. 'We can't get that back. That ends careers for football coaches, ADs and presidents. So something's got to be done. I don't know what it is, but there needs to be more accountability on what happens in certain situations.”

Iowa State (1-4, 0-3 Big 12) was dealt another special teams blow to begin the second half. Oklahoma State sprinter-turned-football player Tyreek Hill took the opening kickoff 97 yards to the end zone, turning a 6-6 game into a 20-6 Cowboys advantage in 18 seconds of game time.

'Zapped us even more,” Rhoads said of the momentum swing.

ISU showed some grit in response with an 11-play, 71-yard drive aided by, interestingly enough, two Oklahoma State penalty calls that wiped out potential Cyclone turnovers. Tight end E.J. Bibbs cut the deficit to 20-13 with a spectacular one-handed grab of a Sam Richardson pass for a 17-yard touchdown.

'It was just a simple corner route,” said Bibbs, who finished with 6 catches for 69 yards and two scores. 'I just laid my hand out and caught the ball.”

From that point, Oklahoma State (4-1, 2-0) beefed up its protection of junior quarterback Daxx Garman, who was largely untouched in the second half as he directed the Cowboys to three straight scoring drives to put the game out of hand at 37-13 early in the fourth quarter. Garman finished with 271 yards passing and a 40-yard touchdown to receiver Jhajuan Seales. Oklahoma State tailback Desmond Roland, who scorched the Cyclones for 219 yards and four touchdowns in the Cowboys' 58-27 win last year in Ames, ran for 95 yards and two scores.

COMPLETE JAMIE POLLARD STATEMENT:

'Iowa State University takes great pride in how we conduct our business, and those of you that know me personally, know that I work really hard to make sure that my staff and I adhere to that. That being said, we've been on the short end of several controversial calls and it's hard to sit idle and watch ESPN, Fox other announcers not debate, but feel sorry for Iowa State because maybe there will be another apology for a call. Coach Rhoads and I have tried to deal with that internally, and have tried to do it the right way. But it's no longer fair to put our student athletes, our coaching staff, and our fans in that position. Coach Rhoads and I, a year and a half ago, raised the issue and we were the lone vote. And ever since that time, we've been on the short end of the stick. I don't know how things change, but it's frustrating and it's not fair. It's not fair to our, again, to our players, it puts them in the position where I know a couple of them did some things during halftime that are inappropriate. I don't fault them. I don't fault them. They're frustrated. And they're frustrated with the lack of action. So we'll continue to work internally through the appropriate channels. I felt it was appropriate to stand up here right now and stand behind our team, and stand behind our coaching staff. And I recognize that the Big 12 does not allow comments to be made on officiating, and I recognize there's penalties for that. But folks, our institution's been penalized already. I can think of three situations where the fine has been pretty great because we lost games as a result of calls that either we were apologized for, or the media certainly felt we should have been apologized to. We can't get that back. That ends careers for football coaches, ADs and presidents. So something's got to be done. I don't know what it is, but there needs to be more accountability on what happens in certain situations.”

RHOADS OPENING STATEMENT

'You all wish you were as fortunate as me to have a boss like that. That stands up for your football program, for your athletic department, for the coaching staff that he's hired. I am blessed, I am privileged to have a boss like that. In the game of football and athletics, you've got to execute better than your opponent. We didn't do that at the end of the first half. Gave the ball back to them, gave them a short field. Gave the ball back to them and then, stood up as a defense and did execute and had a chance to go to the locker room 6-6 with momentum on our side after a bad play. That, that did not happen today. Apologies are no good. Apologies don't bring back the outcome of what just took place.”