NEW YORK — It started Aug. 20 and ended Friday.

The journey of the ISU quarterbacks in the 2011 season was very much a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows. When the ride ended, the Cyclones (6-7, 3-6 Big 12) were on the losing end of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl to Rutgers, 27-13.

Steele Jantz replaced Jared Barnett, who took over starting duties from Jantz earlier in the season, raising the question of who the quarterback of the future is for the Cyclones.

“It’s crucial [to have good quarterback play],” Jantz said. “Whoever comes out on top [in the spring], we’ll be better for it. Knowing the other quarterbacks and myself, we’re going to work hard, not only to win the battle, but to lead the team and get the offense rolling early.”

Early in the second quarter of the Cyclones’ loss to Rutgers (9-4, 4-3 Big East), Barnett was benched in favor of Jantz, following Barnett’s 2-7 start through the air.

Coach Paul Rhoads went with Barnett as the starter in the final five games of the season after Jantz struggled during a four-game losing streak. But with Jantz practicing well in preparation for the bowl game, coupled with Barnett looking shaky, Rhoads put the at-times-electrifying junior college transfer in the game.

“We were not executing in a manner that I thought was going to lead us to a win, and from what we’ve seen in December’s practices, I thought Steele could [get it done],” Rhoads said. 

Rhoads then added, sarcastically:

“And I wanted to create a quarterback controversy heading into spring ball.”

While Barnett did struggle, Jantz didn’t offer much improvement. After taking over in the second quarter, Jantz went 15-of-31 for 197 yards and two interceptions. The turnovers — something that became his calling card and ultimately lost him his job earlier in the season — halted promising drives for the Cyclones.

Rhoads called the play of Jantz, “in a word, inconsistent.”

“There were flashes, that he made great throws, great decisions,” Rhoads said. “Then there were some plays that you could tell he hadn’t played in five or six games. Not getting rid of the ball and taking sacks. And letting the 25- or 40-second clock run down and force us to use a time out or expire and cause us a penalty.”

Jantz said at the beginning of the season, when he was named the starter on Aug. 20, that he was focused solely on winning.

While he did that early, going 3-0 to start the season and starring in the win against Iowa, the inconsistencies that Rhoads talked about led to the Cyclones losing the final five games in which Jantz saw significant playing time.

“It’s always tough when you come up short,” Jantz said. “[Rutgers] tried to rattle me, and it worked to a certain extent. Ultimately it comes back to me because I have to run the offense.”

In his first season as a Cyclone, Jantz finished the year 138-of-259 (53 percent) for 1,519 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in nine games played, going 3-4 as the starter. Barnett finished the year 110-of-220 (50 percent) for 1,201 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions, going 3-3 as the starter.

For four years, Iowa State entered spring practice knowing Austen Arnaud would be the starter. Now, despite Rhoads’ sarcastic comment regarding the quarterback controversy, and possibly to the chagrin of some Cyclone fans who expressed distaste for Jantz in social media, the job is open for the second straight year. 

Barnett and Jantz figure to be the primary players in the race, and Barnett, as Jantz said postgame, knows he needs to get better if the job is to be his.

“I’ve just got to get better, every aspect of my game,” Barnett said. “Mentally and physically, just have to be a whole lot better than I was this year.”