Sports

Getting the ball to Blythe

Grant Wall
September 6, 2006

Todd Blythe wants the football.

And ISU coach Dan McCarney wants to get it to him.

The Cyclones star receiver caught five passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns against Toledo, but it’s when his receptions occurred that tells a bigger story.

Blythe, a junior, caught three passes in the first half as the Cyclones built a 14-8 halftime lead. But he was only thrown to once in the second half, with that pass falling incomplete.

Overtime was when Blythe made his mark, catching a 29-yard pass down the sideline for a score in the second overtime and making a spectacular one-handed grab in the third overtime that was named ESPN SportsCenter’s play of the day.

“We want to get him involved as much as we can,” McCarney said. “He has the eye of a tiger and a fire in his eyes. He wants the ball.”

McCarney also said getting Blythe more touches will be a priority for the offense.

“You can’t be hard headed about it and at the start say ‘I’m going to him’ and [have your opponent] say, ‘Oh no you’re not,'” McCarney said. “Then the next thing you know we have three or four or five turnovers. We don’t want to do that either. But any way we can get him the ball [we’re going to do].”

Although Blythe is the team’s best threat at receiver, the Cyclones don’t have to lean on him for the passing game to be successful.

Senior Jon Davis has more than 90 catches in his career, and senior Austin Flynn led the team in receptions last season.

FASTTRAK

2006 Cyclone

Football Schedule

Aug. 31 – vs. Toledo* W (45-43)

Sept. 9 – vs. UNLV

Sept. 16 – at Iowa**

Sept. 23 – at Texas

Sept. 30 – vs. UNI

(Family Weekend)

Oct. 7 – vs. Nebraska

Oct. 14 – at Oklahoma

Oct. 21 – vs. Texas Tech

(Homecoming)

Oct. 28 – at Kansas State

Nov. 4 – vs. Kansas

Nov. 11 – at Colorado

Nov. 18 – vs. Missouri

*televised by Mediacom Connections (channel 22)

**televised by ESPN

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Underclassmen R.J. Sumrall and Marquis Hamilton are also targets for quarterback Bret Meyer.

“We have real quality receivers all over the place,” McCarney said. “We don’t have to go in and say, ‘We have to get the ball to Blythe or we can’t win.’

“How would you like to be sixth or seventh in our depth chart where Milan Moses is or Houston Jones is? Those are really quality receivers, but right now they’re no better than sixth or seventh because of the quality of our receivers.”

Dual Threat Quarterback

Quarterback Bret Meyer has always been a threat to defenses with his arm as well as his feet.

This season, Meyer, a junior, will get the chance to run the ball more, as the ISU coaching staff will be calling more plays that feature the quarterback as the primary ball carrier.

As a freshman, Meyer ran for 331 yards, including a 122-yard performance against Miami (Ohio) in the Independence Bowl. His rushing numbers dropped last season as he gained 123 yards on the ground.

“I’m just trying to be more versatile,” Meyer said. “Last year I didn’t run the ball very well, and this year we just worked on some of the little things and I think it paid off.”

Meyer already has success with his running game, as he scored three touchdowns on the ground against Toledo. Those three scores doubled his rushing touchdown total entering the season.

Oklahoma Jackpot

According to NCAA rules, head coaches are allowed only one at home visit to a recruit during the recruiting period of December and January.

McCarney took special care to make his way to Ponca City, Okla. where two of his potential players awaited.

Freshmen Rashawn Parker and Josh Johnson are both from Ponca City, and both are already making an impact for Iowa State.

“We had a gathering at the high school with both families and both players at the same time,” McCarney said. “We’re really thrilled with both those kids.”

The recruiting visit was McCarney’s first trip to Ponca City, but it’s a place the coach isn’t opposed to going back.

“I’ll go back,” McCarney said. “If we can find more Parkers and Johnsons, I’ll go back.”

Cardinal Rules

ISU fans are encouraged to wear cardinal-colored clothing when the Cyclones face the UNLV as part of Iowa State’s Cardinal Rules promotion.

“We want a sea of cardinal to greet UNLV when the Rebels come on to our field,” ISU Athletic Director Jamie Pollard said.

Other resources from ISD:

Big 12 Break Through(08/21)

Four Cyclone players hurt in preseason play(08/21)

Harris moves to defense(08/21)

More on Cyclone football…(08/21)

Season of opportunit(08/23)y

Football strives to find running back balance(08/24)