ISU coach Paul Rhoads made one thing clear in his news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 22 regarding whom Iowa State will go with as its quarterback against Oklahoma State on Oct. 26.

“I’d love Sam Richardson to start the game and play extremely well and not ever have to think about it, that’s what I’d like to see take place,” Rhoads said.

In Iowa State’s 71-7 loss against Baylor on Saturday, the Cyclones (1-5, 0-3 Big 12) experimented with rotating quarterbacks for the first time this season. Richardson started the game and finished 7-of-14 in passing for 68 yards and one interception.

The ISU coaching staff decided to make the switch in the second quarter, going with backup redshirt freshman Grant Rohach. Rohach ended the game at 8-of-13 passing for 65 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

One difference sets Richardson apart, however, that made the decision to start him an easy one for Rhoads.

“The No. 1 reason is just the knowledge he has overall, pre-snap and post-snap. There are things that Grant’s just not there and he’s going to be a step behind,” Rhoads said. “We don’t need to be a step behind, we need to start getting at speeds and one step ahead as a football team and Sam’s knowledge gives him an opportunity to do that.”

Richardson, who has been hampered by an ankle injury since the season-opening game against Northern Iowa, finally felt like he left the Baylor game without being set back in his health like he had in previous weeks. ISU offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham saw the progress in Richardson’s health on the practice field Tuesday.

With his health heading towards improvement, the next step Richardson needs to take in Messingham’s eyes is to continue “seeing the game” and letting the game slow down.

“I know that’s an easy thing to say, but whenever you listen to the “big time guys,” they talk about when they’ve really figured the game out, everything seems to happen slower,” Messingham said. “I’m not sure Sam as an eight-game starter, I’m not sure he’s ready to say the game has slowed down especially when people are moving and changing defenses and blitzing.”

At the quarterback position, Rhoads is looking for something straightforward: productivity. In six games this season, Richardson is 108-of-190 in passing this season for 1,255 yards, averaging 209.2 yards per game through the air.

Richardson has thrown 10 touchdowns this season, including a 97-yard score against Texas, compared to five interceptions. But for several days leading into the game against Baylor, he ran with the second-group offense, in a plan that would hopefully improve his physical health and get Rohach in-game experience.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Richardson felt good about being on the sideline while Rohach was in the backfield.

“It’s frustrating,” Richardson said of watching from the sidelines. “Obviously you don’t want anyone playing in your spot. I hate that feeling, but it’s something that you’ve just got to play better and it’s something I take to heart.”

One thing Richardson knows he has to do is get rid of the ball quicker on pass plays. With the ISU offensive line about to put its seventh different starting lineup on the field against Oklahoma State, making decisions faster will be not only the focus of Richardson, but Rohach as well.

Despite Richardson’s frustrations about his health and having to spend time on the sideline, Messingham noted that his two quarterbacks have a great relationship and are constantly communicating on the sidelines about what each of them is seeing on the field.

“They are 100 percent in each other’s corner,” Messingham said of Richardson and Rohach. “Obviously every guy in our program, I hope, wants to be the starter at whatever position they’re playing, but they totally respect each other. [They] totally believe in the work ethic each of them brings and I’m telling you, they were rooting for one another the entire time.”