Iowa State's 'Duck' can fly

AMES -  Iowa State's James White felt a twinge of pain, then turned his head.

“Duck” was on the loose.

Fellow running back Duran “Duck” Hollis that is, who jetted for a 71-yard touchdown run in Saturday's 41-7 whitewashing of then-No. 19 Texas Tech.

“I was hit during the play before that, so I was running to the sidelines,” said White, who rambled for 138 yards in the decisive win. “As I looked back, I saw him running down the field. That's a good thing for him.”

And very good for a suddenly resurgent ISU rushing attack that looks to re-fire in Saturday's 11:30 a.m. Big 12 matchup against reeling Kansas at Jack Trice Stadium.

The Cyclones lit the Red Raiders' defense up for 368 yards on the ground, piling up its best numbers since gouging Indiana State for 434 rushing yards in the 1999 season opener.

Hollis darted for 101 yards on four carries - achieving his first career 100-yard game.

ISU's first-time starting quarterback Jared Barnett carved out another 92 yards on the ground and would have joined his White and Hollis as a 100-yard rusher if it hadn't been for a 14-yard sack.

“Before the game, you could see it in all the guys' eyes that they were ready to go; they were ready to bust it,” Barnett said. “And when we came out, we hit it.”

Suffice it to say, the Cyclones (4-4, 1-4) spread the fun around while snapping a four-game skid - from the trenches to the backfield.

“Those are the great games,” said offensive lineman Carter Bykowski, who has played significant snaps since his roommate, Brayden Burris, suffered a fractured foot about a month ago. “Those are the games where you feel you can do anything. You run the ball for four or five yards a pop. You're eating the clock up, so you're getting a lot of time of possession.”

ISU's fifth touchdown drive spanned 16 plays and nearly nine minutes, ending in White's seventh touchdown run of the season and a 38-7 fourth-quarter lead.

“I feel like I didn't even play in the second half,” linebacker Jake Knott said. “Our offense was out there for so long - and, like, a nine minute drive is just ridiculous. When you get that as a defense it's huge, because when you do go back out there you're completely fresh. You're completely ready to go and focused.”

Four different rushers - White, Hollis, Barnett and Jeff Woody - combined for 13 runs of 10 yards or more.

Each of them scored a touchdown.

Darius Darks caught Barnett's lone touchdown pass, giving his team a 21-0 first-quarter edge.

“We finally put a game together,” said Darks, who also recorded his 118th career catch, which is tied for the ninth-most in team history.

“We've known we've had the potential all season, so it's fun to go out there and actually execute pretty much for the first time of all season.”

Only Army, Texas and Georgia Tech managed more explosive numbers on the ground than the Cyclones did last week.

And Texas' 441-yard rushing effort came against ISU's next opponent, Kansas.

Despite that, overconfidence will not be a problem.

“Can't overlook anybody,” White said. “We have to have the same mindset: Play hard, practice hard and execute our plays come Saturday.”

TWO JAKES: A battered and bruised “Jake Knott” was seen trick or treating recently in the Kansas City area.

No, not the Cyclones' standout linebacker who's playing through a spate of injuries.

One of Knott's young relatives, who broke his arm a few weeks ago, donned a cast, an ISU No. 20 jersey and went from house to house on Halloween - true to character.

“It's neat to have someone look up to you like that,” the real Jake Knott said.

GO WEST: Rhoads said the Cyclones will continue to seek ways to get wide receiver Jarvis West more touches.

West is tied for 33rd nationally in kickoff returns with a 25.6 yard average.

“We've got get the ball in his hands four, six eight times a game, “Rhoads said. “He's back there on kickoff returns now, but the sweeps, the reverses, the screens and so forth - we've got to get the ball in his hands and see if he can make a big play.”