Despite struggling this season, Bret Culbertson isn’t going anywhere.

Culbertson, the Cyclones’ place-kicker this season, has made 8 of 14 field goal attempts this season, prompting many to wonder how long he’ll keep his job.

“Bret’s our kicker,” said coach Gene Chizik during his weekly Monday press conference. “There’s nobody behind him, there’s nobody in front of him. He’s our kicker and he’s got to put the ball through the upright.”

When asked where the Cyclones’ kicking game might go from here, Chizik said “I can try to kick next week, or you.”

For the rest of the season, it rests on the foot of the senior from Des Moines. After missing his first three attempts on the season, Culbertson connected five against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sept. 15, including a game winner with one second remaining. Since then, he’s made only 3 of 6 and had one blocked against Toledo.

“Honestly it [the season] hasn’t gone like I expected it to,” Culbertson said. “You expect to be at your peak your senior year.”

The problems escalated Saturday against No. 6 Oklahoma when Culbertson missed a 36-yard attempt with 4:20 remaining in the first half. With the Cyclone’s clinging to a 7-0 lead, his kick sailed wide right, forcing Iowa State to settle for a one possession lead at the half.

On Monday, Chizik answered questions about whether the missed attempts affected several play-calling decisions where the coaches chose not to attempt a field goal, including a fourth down and 1-yard attempt with less than three minutes remaining in the first half. On the Oklahoma 9-yard line, Chizik elected to hand off to junior running back Jason Scales. Scales was hit behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of 2 yards and an ISU turnover on downs.

“It makes you make decisions that maybe normally you wouldn’t make,” Chizik said of the inconsistent kicking game.

Chizik said the Cyclones have no other options for kickers and because of Culbertson’s limited success this season, he said no distances are for-sure shots.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a 25-yard field goal or a 15-yard one,” he said. “Nothing’s a gimme, where you would think that when we get down into a certain territory we have gimmes.”

Freshman right tackle Ben Lamaak said the offense is more concerned with finishing drives instead of settling for field goals. Against the Sooners, the Cyclones got points on only 1 of 3 red zone opportunities.

“As an offense, we’re not going out there kick field goals,” Lamaak said. “We want to score 6.”

Despite the way things have gone, Culbertson said he feels confident he’ll continue to do the things he’s done in the past that have made him the eighth on the all-time ISU scoring list.

“I do great in practice and I don’t feel any different on the field,” Culbertson said. “I’m just going to keep plugging away I guess to try to make the best of the last couple of games.”

He could have played Saturday, but junior running back J.J. Bass remained on the bench Saturday against Oklahoma.

The junior college transfer from El Camino Community College, who has been hampered with an injured shoulder, sat out his second game this season.

“I think he could have [played Saturday],” coach Gene Chizik said during his weekly Monday press conference. “What you worry about right now is can they play or can they play at 100 percent.”

Chizik said as of now, it’s not 100 percent and Bass is “still a little bit banged up.”

“It’s kind of a week-to-week deal,” he said. “J.J. will play more.”

Bass wasn’t the only Cyclone watching Saturday’s game with an injury. Freshman Phillip Bates, who has been used at running back, wide receiver and quarterback sat out Saturday’s game with an undisclosed injury.

Asked whether all three of his quarterbacks would be available for Saturday’s game with Missouri, Chizik said that was still up in the air.

“Play it by ear,” he said. “We’ll see. I don’t know. Today is only Monday. I’m not sure.”

– Tommy Birch