More bad news for Cylcones

AMES - Iowa State's football team has absorbed another blow to its offense.

Cyclone Coach Paul Rhoads said Sunday night running back Shontrelle Johnson would be out for the third consecutive week and possibly done for the season.

“It is a neck injury and they're still trying to figure out the course of rehab for him, but more than likely he'll be done for the season,” Rhoads said.

Johnson emerged from training camp as ISU's top back and rushed 51 times for 247 yards in four games this season.

He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and also caught eight passes for 40 yards.

Backup James White has filled in as the Cyclones' featured back the past two weeks, gaining 209 yards on 29 carries in that span.

He's rushed for five touchdowns - including a 76-yarder, the longest scoring run for an ISU back since 2002. White averages 5.3 yards, but managed a season-low 4.4 yards per carry in Saturday's 52-17 loss at Missouri.

He also took a shot to the leg against the Tigers, but said he'd be fine for this week's homecoming game against Texas A&M.

“A dude, he just fell on my leg,” White said. “As I was going down, the dude kind of jumped on the pile and kneed me to the leg, but I'm all right, though.”

White said the offense, which didn't score a touchdown until the fourth quarter Saturday, can be vastly better than it's shown recently.

“We can be real good,” White said. “First and foremost, it's all about protect the ball. We've got that on the back of our shorts as an offensive unit and we've got to live up to that phrase: Protect the ball. We've just got to do that a lot better.”

White, who has lost one fumble this season, said living up to the slogan boils down to the simplest fundamental element of the game.

“What I can say is when we get in traffic, put two hands on the ball,” White said. “That's the best thing you can do. ... And that's for everybody, receivers, running backs, everybody. Two hands.”

Cyclone quarterback Steele Jantz lost two fumbles Saturday. He's been blindsided by a defender most of the times he's coughed it up this season - and often while scrambling for positive yardage.

“That happens, but there's no excuse,” Jantz said. “Obviously I don't want to fumble. There's no excuse.”

Jantz, who sat out the fourth quarter Saturday as backup Jared Barnett led the offense, said ISU's offense hasn't come close to playing a complete game yet. And with or without Johnson, that will come.

“We're kind of young on offense,” Jantz said. “The good thing is, we've improved in a lot of areas and a lot of times there's new things. I'm confident that the more games we play, the better we'll get.”