ISU's motivation shifts to inching up Big 12 ladder

AMES — Motivating 18, 19 and 20-year olds is the age-old challenge college football coaches face every season. Iowa State is no exception, but the challenge now lies with coach Paul Rhoads in finding a new way to motivate a team that just suffered its seventh loss.

Although postseason hopes are a long shot — discussions of 5-7 teams qualifying for bowl games are on the table — Rhoads said being 'ever-present' around the players in these final weeks is going to determine their success.

'You've got to teach, you've got to educate, you've got to prepare,' Rhoads said in his Monday news conference. 'A prepared team is going to play best and to get that preparation you've got to have their attention. Through 10 games, there's no doubt in our minds that we've had that with this football team.'

Road trips to Kansas State and West Virginia are all that remain for the Cyclones, but pulling off wins would put them on the right side of recent history in Big 12 play. Iowa State (3-7, 2-5) has the chance to finish with four conference wins — most since 2005 — and would tie its second most conference wins during the Big 12 era.

Two wins would also mean Iowa State could finish fifth in the Big 12, which would be the highest finish for an ISU team since the league went to a 10-team round-robin schedule. The Cyclones finished eighth in 2011 at 3-6 in conference play.

'It's a big week,' said quarterback Joel Lanning. 'We've just got to finish these games and hopefully we can get a W this week. We're ready to go this week. It's not any different. It's a college football game so we're going to be prepared no matter what.'

Kansas State and West Virginia are a combined 2-10 in the Big 12 with the Wildcats coming in on a skid at 0-6. K-State is last in the Big 12 in total offense, averaging 338.2 yards per game and will give the ISU defense a chance to validate what the players feel has been a step in the right direction.

'I'm looking to see our character,' said defensive end J.D. Waggoner. 'I think if we can finish these two games with just great defensive performances, it'll let us know where we're at as a team and as a defense and we can move forward for there.'

INJURY UPDATE

Free safety Kamari Cotton-Moya (hamstring) and left guard Daniel Burton (foot) were listed on the depth chart as ORs in their positions, and are expected to play Saturday.

Offensive lineman Oni Omoile, who was out against Oklahoma State with back issues, will play against Kansas State. Defensive lineman Pierre Aka is expected to play as well.

'We're going to get him ready to play,' Rhoads said of Cotton-Moya. 'We're going to put him in all preparation, all practice and not going to ask him to do anything to prove on Wednesday and Thursday that he's 100 percent because he's not going to be. We're going to get him to the game, warm him up and get him prepared. How much he'll play, we'll see come Saturday.'

ROUNDUP

Iowa State nose guard Demond Tucker was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. He had career-highs in tackles (eight), tackles for loss (4.0) and sacks (2.0) and forced a fumble.

The time for Iowa State's game at West Virginia on Nov. 28 in Morgantown, W.V. is slated for 11 a.m. and will be televised on FS1.

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