PATH TO 2006: Receivers
April 5, 2006
ISU receiver Todd Blythe has two years of experience under his belt.
In those two seasons, Blythe has already set Iowa State’s career touchdown reception record.
The scary thing?
He still has two seasons left.
Blythe is the leader of a receiving corps that finished second in the Big 12 in passing offense. The only team with a more high-powered passing attack was Texas Tech, a team that almost exclusively features the pass.
Every ingredient of that passing game is back for the Cyclones, setting the bar high for what can be accomplished.
FASTTRAK
Todd Blythe, junior
Blythe has been a touchdown machine for the Cyclones the past two years, pulling in nine scores last year and leading the team with 1000 yards receiving.
Blythe, at 6 feet 5 inches, has already become the all-time career leader in touchdown receptions and will be counted on to terrorize opposing defensive backfields again this fall as the Cyclones primary receiving threat.
Austin Flynn, senior
The Houston native has become a fan favorite since his switch from quarterback to receiver.
Flynn has blossomed into a valuable possession receiver for Iowa State, complimenting Blythe nicely. Flynn was second on the team in receiving during his first year on the job. Flynn pulled in a team-best 56 catches, netting 624 yards and three scores.
Jon Davis, senior
Davis snapped his Achilles tendon in what Coach Dan McCarney called “one of the most freak injuries I’ve ever seen.”
The Cyclones are cautiously optimistic that Davis will be able to return by the first game, but the injury can’t be rushed.
Davis was third on the team in 2005, with 41 catches for 319 yards.
R.J. Sumrall, sophomore
Sumrall had a strong freshman campaign with Iowa State and was fourth on the team in receiving yards with 311.
Sumrall will likely be looked on to shoulder much of the load left by Davis if he cannot return on time from his injury.
Although Sumrall did not find the end zone in 2005, he has the speed to be a home-run threat for the Cyclones when he touches the ball.
“It’s a hardworking group, and they expect a lot from themselves,” said Mike Grant, wide receivers coach. “It’s never a situation where anyone is getting comfortable, and that’s how I like it.”
Last season’s top-two pass catchers are back – in the form of Blythe and senior Austin Flynn.
Flynn snared 56 passes last season, his first after making the switch from quarterback. Blythe was just five receptions behind, catching 51 balls for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns.
In two seasons, Blythe has 90 receptions and 1,833 yards – good for 10th and fourth on the ISU all-time charts, respectively. His 18 touchdown catches are already a Cyclone mark.
So how does a coaching staff keep accomplished players such as Blythe, Flynn and senior Jon Davis motivated?
“I don’t do a lot of showing them the good things,” Grant said. “We’ll go through the practice tape and I only [show] the mistakes. They won’t ever see themselves making touchdowns. I try to keep the heat on them, and they know the guys behind them are keeping the heat on.”
This will be the third season that Blythe, Davis and quarterback Bret Meyer have joined forces. Also back with experience from last season are R.J. Sumrall, Walter Nickel, Ben Barkema and Milan Moses.
“The good thing about this is, these guys have come up together,” said Barney Cotton, ISU offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. “The more guys play together, the more they can be on the same page.”
Davis will miss the rest of spring practice with an injury to his Achilles tendon. He had surgery last week to repair damage after his Achilles snapped during practice.
His injury has given several other Cyclones a chance to show their skills.
Sumrall has moved up to take Davis’ spot on the depth chart. Sumrall caught 20 passes as a freshman last season.
Freshman Marquis Hamilton redshirted last season, but spent the entire campaign practicing with the varsity team.
“He stayed up with us all year last year long and he’s picking up right where he left off,” Grant said.
“He knows the plays and formations. He[‘s] got the experience of being one of the varsity guys.”
Hamilton brings both size and speed, coming into practice at 6 feet 3 inches and 217 pounds.
Sophomore Euseph Messiah and senior Ryan Baum have also been pushing for playing time.
Baum was used last season primarily as a returner, bringing back both kickoffs and punts before a knee injury forced him to miss the second half of the season.
“I didn’t expect him to do much this spring, but he’s hanging in there,” Grant said.
“He’s doing a lot more than expected. He’s come on and is practicing well.”
So much talent and depth gives the ISU coaches a lot of options to choose from when the season starts.
“It would be nice if we could get more bodies rotating into the system and keeping legs fresh so there is always a body out there going full speed,” Grant said.
