With sold-out stadiums, record donations and perhaps the most fan interest in school history, the ISU fan base can only take losing for so long. With only five wins in the ISU football team’s last 23 games, Cyclone fans have become increasingly frustrated.

But they aren’t alone.

“I’m frustrated as hell, too,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said.

Rhoads isn’t one to filter his emotions, but the statement is not one coaches often use. After falling victim to final-minute losses, several season-ending injuries and one of the toughest schedules in the nation, there’s no question that Rhoads has a point.

And he’s not pretending the team is immune to it either. After back-to-back losses in which the team came out flat, the team’s confidence has taken a hit.

“Well, I certainly don’t think it’s high,” Rhoads said of the team’s confidence level. “Will we take the field with great energy and excitement about playing? Yes. But if we go three-and-out on our first three series on offense, that gets drained real fast.”

But nobody is packing up and leaving yet. With three games to play, both players and coaches say they want to go out on a high note.

Rhoads said the team treated the bye week differently than it had the first two — going full pads and playing at full strength instead of going lighter. In fact, Rhoads said the first practice after the Kansas game was with as much energy as the team has practiced all year.

Despite the losses, the team has a new focus. With no bowl game to play for and a set of young players filling in for injured players, the Cyclones are playing for themselves.

“The past is the past, and if you dwell on it it’s only going to hold you back,” said center Tom Farniok. “If you don’t bring it every week, that’s a personal problem that needs to be addressed.”

Richardson returns to field

After injuring his shoulder in the Oklahoma game, quarterback Sam Richardson was forced to sit out against Kansas and watch his team fall to the Jayhawks. Barring any setbacks, Richardson will be the starting quarterback for Iowa State against Texas Tech.

Rhoads said he will be on a “pitch count” in practice and will increase his workload as the injury allows him.

“The main concern is getting velocity on it, but I think by the end of the week I’ll be pretty set to go,” Richardson said. “You don’t want to wear it out too much this week.”

Facing Texas Tech, Richardson hopes to test a young secondary. With weapons like John Mackey Award semifinalist E.J. Bibbs and wide receivers Allen Lazard, D’Vario Montgomery and Jarvis West, he has choices that put him in the position to accomplish that for the first time in nearly a month.

But more than anything, the team is ready to welcome back the leader and playmaker it’s used to.

“He just brings a lot of knowledge and experience,” Farniok said. “He brings that comfort element back to the offense because he’s been our guy all year, and when he’s down, it makes a difference.”