ISU’s Lanning focuses on improvement

AMES - Iowa State quarterback Joel Lanning feels the inconsistencies in his mechanics and is able to diagnose the problems on the sideline with his coaches.

He also knows his accuracy is what will ultimately define him as a successful quarterback.

'I'm just trying to throw it too hard or throwing it at the ground or off my back foot a little bit,” Lanning said. 'Those are just some of the things I need to fix in practice.”

After grading out fairly well in his first start against Texas, his success rate dipped a bit when he was 26-for-51 for 260 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma. Lanning was plagued by a number of balls thrown low and hard, relying too much on muscling his throws to targets.

The sophomore possesses all of the physical tools to be a good quarterback at 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds, but his youthful inexperience sometimes gets in the way of those tools. Iowa State Coach Paul Rhoads said there isn't anything he wouldn't like to see Lanning improve on - particularly his 54.7 percent completion rate - but that doesn't mean he's displeased with his quarterback.

'He saw the best defense that we've played this season with a lot of bodies flying and a lot of bodies in the area that he had to make decisions as far as running the ball or passing goes,” Rhoads said. 'He's already stepped ahead and learned things in the game. Now he'll learn more in post game film and put himself in better position against Oklahoma State.”

Lanning always has had an even-keeled personality, but it's been blended with competitiveness that has sometimes led him to force plays. Making easy throws in front of him is ultimately what Lanning hopes to do.

'Let me tell you, I've never thrown it 51 times in a game,” Lanning said. 'In high school I was lucky to get maybe 15. I never really noticed it like that, but it's just something I need to work on and get used to things like that.”

SACK RECORD

Dale Pierson is zeroing in on a decade-old record with three games remaining in his Iowa State career, and he has no plans of falling short.

The senior defensive end exploded for five sacks in the first two games this season and now owns 7.5 with the single-season sack record in sight. Shawn Moorehead set the record of 8.5 in 2006.

'I wanted to be the best defensive end that ever played here,” Pierson said. 'I know if I meet that, I'll actually feel like I was the best defensive end that ever played here.”

Pierson fell two sacks short of the single season record in junior college in Pasadena and has kept that in the back of his mind during his career in Ames. He is 16th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 0.83 sacks per game.

'He's really adapted to the 3-4 defense very well in a defense that doesn't always give you the best path to get to the quarterback,” Rhoads said. 'With the production he's had, very happy for him as well.”

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