Iowa State in position to break offensive marks

AMES (AP) — With three games left, Iowa State is in position to put up the best offensive season in school history.

The Cyclones (6-4, 4-3 Big 12) enter Saturday’s home finale against Kansas (3-7, 1-6) — which has the league’s worst defense — with a chance to move closer to breaking the program record for points per game (33.5) set in 1976. Iowa State is averaging 35.1 points a game in 2019, and it only trails Oklahoma in points in league contests at 33.3.

The Cyclones, who are also outgaining opponents by over 120 yards per game, have surged toward the school record behind an improved line and the rapid development of multiple skill position players.

Quarterback Brock Purdy has gotten a large share of the credit for Iowa State’s explosive offense. He’s third nationally with an average of 320.3 yards passing, trailing only Washington State’s Anthony Gordon and Heisman Trophy front-runner Joe Burrow of LSU.

But Purdy wouldn’t be where he is without the somewhat unexpected contributions of Kolar and graduate transfer La’Michael Pettway.

Kolar has 41 catches for 549 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. Pettway has caught 42 passes — and four of those went for scores.

One player Iowa State expected to lean heavily on is senior wide receiver Deshaunte Jones.

Jones, whose career high for receptions was 43 last year, already has 63 catches for 748 yards.

Jones is now sixth in school history in catches in a season and is 18 shy of tying the program high of 81, set by Tracy Henderson in 1983.