From Austen Arnaud to Jerome Tiller, Tiller to Steele Jantz, Jantz to Jared Barnett and Barnett to Sam Richardson, Iowa State has had plenty of quarterback controversy in recent years.

Controversy and uncertainty will continue for the Cyclones (1-7, 0-5 Big 12) this season with Richardson and freshman Grant Rohach finding themselves in the thick of it.

Rohach is listed as the starter at quarterback on the ISU depth chart, but that doesn’t mean he will be the one to trot onto the field Saturday against Texas Christian with the starting offense.

“There hasn’t been a time where we’ve leaned one way or the other,” said ISU coach Paul Rhoads regarding the decision to start one quarterback or the other. “And quite honestly, depending on how this week flows, Sam could run out there as the starting quarterback against TCU this week.”

In last Saturday’s 41-7 loss to Kansas State, Rohach relieved Richardson for the third game in a row. Rohach entered the game in the middle of the second quarter and went 11-of-24 with 88 passing yards and two interceptions.

Rohach, who saw action in losses to Baylor and Oklahoma State as well as Kansas State, has compiled a stat line of 31-of-60 passing for 250 yards, three interceptions and two touchdowns.

“Being in this program for two years already, I kind of know how it goes with quarterbacks,” Rohach said of the controversy. “It’s nothing new and there’s nothing I can do about it. All I can do is just go out there and play hard every week.”

Richardson has started 10 games, dating back to last year’s regular season finale, but has struggled with health throughout the entire 2013 season. He was 6-of-12 passing with an interception Saturday before Rohach entered in the second quarter.

Despite being locked in a competition for the starting nod, Rohach said the relationship he has with Richardson is a healthy one. The pair help each other prepare for the games, but each is focused on being the starter.

As far as the development of Richardson and Rohach as quarterbacks, Rhoads said he feels that the issue needs to be a concern, but one that needs to be played out.

“You’re always concerned with development, but any position player at this level, you’ve got to get thicker skin and push past the area of sensitivity,” Rhoads said. “And so with those two, [it’s] no different. They know their role is vital in success for the football and they both realize their play is measured by everybody. Certainly the coaching staff and their team and they look forward to playing better.”

When the ISU football team has experienced changes at quarterback in the past, reps in practice have been split. This one will be no different.

Richardson and Rohach will both spend time with the first and second offensive teams this week, with a decision to be made by offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham and Rhoads later this week.

Whoever runs onto the field first for the Cyclones at quarterback this week, Jeff Woody knows the team will rally behind them.

“With all the crap that’s happened to Sam this year and then with Grant being pretty inexperienced, it’s going to take a lot of elbow grease to get it done with these quarterbacks,” Woody said. “It would be something nice to have just one guy take the bull by the horns and just run with it, but stuff happens.”