Cyclones struggling to keep up with Big 12 pace

AMES - The Big 12 has established itself as a freewheeling, high-scoring, offense-driven conference.

And statistics bear that out.

Five of the league's programs rank among the top 13 nationally in scoring offense and just one conference game this season has been won by a team notching fewer than 30 points.

“When they're not scoring 50, I guess you could say it's a decent day,” said Iowa State defensive end Jake Lattimer, who hopes to corral sky-high Texas Tech (5-2, 2-2) in Saturday's 6 p.m. game at Lubbock.

That stands to reason.

Those five most explosive Big 12 offenses - a list that includes the Red Raiders - average between 40.4 and 48.6 points per game.

So how and when do the defenses catch up?

“When the offenses start losing some of the talent that they have,” said Cyclone Coach Paul Rhoads, whose team fell to 0-4 in conference play Saturday despite holding Texas A&M a touchdown below its average points. “As I entered the league in 2009, defenses and defensive coaches were much maligned in this league of not being able to do their job, whatever the reasons were. I just never believed that was the case after watching film. The offensive personnel was so good and so powerful that that's why the offensive numbers were as high as they were. I think that's the case again in 2011.”

Which means ISU must start scoring more. A lot more.

The Cyclones (3-4, 0-4) are the only team in the Big 12 that averages fewer than 30 points (24.3). But they believe they're not far from adding more end zone breakthroughs.

“Just looking at the Texas A&M film, it was one or two plays we were away from really opening up the game,” said ISU quarterback Jared Barnett, who Monday was officially named the starter over Steele Jantz. “I think that's how it's been all season. Just one or two plays here and there. And not having turnovers. We're really close.”

But in a league where every split-second counts, close doesn't cut it. In the past two weeks alone, the Cyclones have endured 19 non-scoring drives spanning less than two minutes - six more than their opponents.

The reasons are myriad, encompassing turnovers, penalties and, against the Aggies, dropped passes.

“There were not only first downs left out there, there were big plays that were left out there,” Rhoads said. “That's (a receiver's) role. Their role is to catch passes and gain yards and (several) dropped passes Saturday. It wasn't just this guy right here. It was spread out among the group. Eyes taken off the ball. Lack of concentration. Worried about a hit. All those things played into it. All those things that you can't do at any level to be successful.”

Notes

l Iowa State's next home game Nov. 5 against Kansas will start at 11:30 a.m. It will be televised on Fox College Sports.

l Cyclone linebacker Jake Knott's a student of the game. His game and everybody else's. Small wonder, then, he stayed up until nearly 1 a.m. to watch Texas Tech's 41-38 upset win over then-No. 3 Oklahoma.

“It was interesting,” Knott said. “You saw that lead at halftime, so had to stay up and watch that game.”