Cyclones coach Gene Chizik knows the question on everybody’s mind.

The first-year coach has an answer for everyone wondering if freshman Austen Arnaud will replace senior Bret Meyer.

“I’m going to go and try to win every week, and I’m going to do it with the guy that I think gives us the best chance to,” Chizik said during his weekly press conference Monday.

Chizik said that guy is Meyer. Meyer, Iowa State’s all-time leader in passing and total yards, has passed for more than 1,000 yards this season.

But after throwing two interceptions in the Cyclones’ 56-3 loss against Texas on Saturday, the senior was replaced by Arnaud, something Chizik said fans could see more of.

“We’ll continue to make that decision as we go,” Chizik said as to who the starter would be. “But the bottom line is we’d love to get some reps and experience, and we know that – and we’ll continue to try to do that the way we see fit.”

So far, that’s included limited playing time for Arnaud.

A 6-foot-3-inch redshirt freshman from Ames, Arnaud made his college debut on Sept. 8 against the Northern Iowa Panthers. In one series, Arnaud completed 2-of-4 passes for 15 yards. He returned Saturday, taking over for Meyer, who completed 17-of-33 passes and threw two interceptions.

The change has prompted many fans to ask when they might see him in a starting role. Chizik said neither he nor Arnaud are ready for that.

“The message that I send right now if I say, ‘OK guys, all you seniors or all you guys right now, we’re going to go with the younger guys,’ the message I send is that I don’t care what happens the rest of the year, and that’s not true,” Chizik said.

Chizik said he does not think Arnaud was ready to take over the starting play calling duties yet.

“If he did, then you would see him starting,” Chizik said. “When you get to that point, if we feel that, then you would see him as a starter because that means that he would have beat out Bret.”

So Arnaud will continue his role as Meyer’s backup and potential replacement, something the senior understands.

“That’s the situation you’re in when you have somebody behind you that’s a good player,” Meyer said. “I think Austen deserves to get some snaps, obviously, just because he practices good and he does everything in the film room he’s supposed to do.”

Despite the amount of attention being drawn to his role on the team, teammates say Meyer remains upbeat.

“I’ve seen him deal with adversity in the past,” said junior defensive linemen Kurtis Taylor. “I’ve seen him come out on top. With his track record and things like that, I don’t doubt him for one minute.”