Losing senior Tyson Smith — a preseason All-American who had 104 tackles in 2002 — to a leg injury in Iowa State’s season-opening game against Northern Iowa seemed an enormous setback to the Cyclones’ football hopes.

Instead, Iowa State has been disappointed by production from nearly every other position in a 2-8 campaign, while true freshman Jason Berryman has more than filled in for Smith by getting 85 tackles during the season, second on the Cyclones and first among the country’s freshman defensive linemen.

“I’m really proud of Jason,” said ISU head coach Dan McCarney. “He seems to be having an MVP game about every weekend.”

The closest game the Cyclones have played in the Big 12 was a 40-19 humbling at the hands of Texas, and the Longhorns led that matchup 27-0 at halftime. McCarney said his job is to inspire his team each week — no matter how disappointing the previous week’s loss and regardless of any changing tides in fan support.

“Those are the least of things that I can do … and this has been a test for me, as well as everyone, this year,” he said.

“I think I’ve tried to help define the meaning of the word ‘resolve,’ and be strong for everyone around me … That’s all I know.”

Senior safety Nick Linder said McCarney has always been one of the most energetic Cyclones.

“It’s his personality to get players ready to go,” Linder said.

Despite the coach’s preparations, inconsistency has been one of Iowa State’s calling cards during its current eight-game losing skid. McCarney said the play that put Colorado ahead to stay Saturday was a momentary lapse.

“We play really well the first six plays — seventh play, 43-yard touchdown,” he said. “We’ve got two DBs fundamentally poor and they get a touchdown.”

Colorado scored five more times in the first half as the Cyclone offense was held to two total yards before a meaningless drive to midfield just before halftime. Iowa State is hoping a season-long game of musical chairs at quarterback has finally ended with junior Waye Terry at the controls.

Terry said he felt more comfortable running the offense last week, especially in the second half when Iowa State scored its first points in a month.

“It felt like I could start running around a little bit, start running a bit and being a double threat,” he said. “It keeps the defense honest.”

After Saturday’s game against Kansas, Iowa State closes the regular season Nov. 29 with a game at 7-3 Missouri. It will be televised regionally by ABC.

After that, McCarney said, the offseason will begin, with he and his staff trying to discover how to correct the problems that plagued the 2003 Cyclones.

“I’m going to continue to evaluate everything in the program,” he said. “I make those decisions after the season’s over.”