The Tortilla Bandito in the Tortilla Storm.
"Tortilla Bandito in the Tortilla Storm" #CFBball #GunsUp #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/a82vw2AvZr
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Jackson Looks to Repeat. LAJ’s Don Williams writes that DE Branden Jackson had one of his better games last year against Iowa State and he hopes to continue that play this week:
“We didn’t see anything special (in Iowa State’s scheme),” Jackson said. “I was kind of in the groove that game. Coach Smith had me playing nose, 3 (defensive tackle) and end, so I was kind of everywhere and I just happened to get through on a couple of plays and, when I couldn’t get to the quarterback, get my hands up.
“I had a couple of bat-downs and a couple of things that may not show up really big in the stat line to help my team do well.”
Big Receivers. ESPN’s Brandon Chatmon writes that the big receivers could cause serious issues (as if there are any other kind) for defenses in the Big 12:
Lazard is a classic No. 1 target as a big body (6-foot-5, 223 pounds) who moves like a smaller receiver. The former ESPN300 member leads the team with 38 targets for 21 receptions, 225 yards and two touchdowns.
D’Vario Montgomery (6-6, 213) joins Lazard as a big target on the outside. The South Florida transfer is tied with Lazard for the team lead in touchdown receptions (two) and has been targeted 15 times for 12 receptions for 187 yards.
Controlling the Game. The Globe Gazette’s Jim Sullivan writes that the Cyclones hope to score points, but control the flow of the game:
“That’s for sure,” said Rhoads. “I don’t think we’ll be able to do that. What we don’t want to do is compromise flow and so forth just to accomplish one goal. The goal is to score points on offense and in the process score more than the opponent.
“We’re going to establish the running game as best we can and throw off of it. If the percentages end up higher on one or the other for us to be productive, so be it. In this ballgame, we don’t want to end up in a shootout, so to speak, this weekend down there in Lubbock.”
Zach Austin Q&A. ESPN’s Brandon Chatmon did a good Q&A with IR Zach Austin. Here’s a bit, but there’s a lot more there:
What is the key to getting things back on track (after losses to Baylor and TCU)?
Austin: Sticking together. I thought we did a good job coming into the season of building a brotherhood here. We have a motto: It’s “tough together,” and I consider all these guys my brothers. It’s about sticking together and not getting down.
Do you think you guys have shown that, in the TCU game in particular?
Austin: I think we’ve shown we’re going to stick together. I don’t think there will be a point this season where we fall apart because of outside people or not being a brotherhood. I think those two games will, hopefully, bring us closer together.
NOTHING TO DO WITH FOOTBALL. Giving Away a Beautiful Logo Design. I ran across this story from UniWatch yesterday morning, where Mark Wills designed a new U.S. Soccer logo and went through the whole design process and now he is just giving the complete logo design away for free. You can’t use it commercially without permission, but personally, you’re welcome to it. For the longest time, I’ve wanted to get some U.S. soccer swag and I’ve put it off because I’ve thought that the logo stunk and I’d guess that U.S. Soccer is about to replace the 80’s type of logo any day now.
Miscellaneous. FanSided’s Nicholas Ian Allen has one NCAA record that he thinks will never be broken in reference to B.J. Symmons total yards in 2003 . . . via LGG West Virginia safety Karl Joseph is out for the year with a knee injury and suffered the injury in a non-contact drill . . .