Down and distance stressing Cyclone offense

Iowa State’s junior running back has a strong understanding of deadlines, especially how they pertain to first-down success and how that relates to second-down situations.

In an upset win at Texas Christian, the Cylcones (4-2 overall, 1-2 Big 12) averaged nearly seven yards on first down. In the loss to Kansas State last Saturday, ISU averaged just more than a yard on 22 first-down plays.

Those type of performances have been indicative of a Cyclone offense that has struggled to be consistent and has failed to produce more than 300 yards in two of its three Big 12 contests.

Its ineffectiveness on first down has also made offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham’s job a lot more difficult, according to Woody.

“If you have a deadline and your boss tells you it is due at 3 and this is at 8 o’clock in the morning you are, ‘Alright, I have some time to work on this,’” Woody explained. “But the equivalent of second-and-10 or third-and-10, is he tells you its due at 3 o’clock and it is 2:51, and you are pressed and stressed out. It’s a lot harder to do your job and harder to do it well.”

Woody’s point? Second and short or third and short are much easier to execute than third and long.

“It makes a big difference,” agreed quarterback Jared Barnett. “If it is second and long the defense probably knows we are going to pass it. But if it is second and short, we can do just about anything we want to and the defense has to stay on their toes.”

Against Kansas State, the Cyclones had 13 first-down plays for zero yards, including incomplete passes. The longest first-down play ISU had was a 7-yard Shontrelle Johnson run.

With a trip to Oklahoma State Saturday on the horizon against a Cowboy offense that averages nearly 49 points a game, ISU figures it better get first down figured out and figured out quickly.

Much of the Cyclones’ concentration on improving first-down success will come in their run game, which ranks last in the Big 12 at 143 yards per game.