Iowa State coach Dan McCarney wants to see his offense run the ball better in Saturday’s non-conference finale at home against Northern Illinois. An improved ground game was a focus heading into the season but the Cyclones managed only 66-yards of rushing in the loss at Iowa. McCarney says Bret Meyer and Austin Flynn will continue to rotate at quarterback. Neither has committed a turnover in the first two games. Tony Yelk is still nursing a pulled muscle and until he is completely healthy Brian Jansen will handle the kicking chores. McCarney says no matter who the kicker is the Cyclones need to finish more drives.Albert Young’s college football career has been halted, again. Iowa’s redshirt freshman running back will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn A-C-L in Saturday’s 17-109 victory over Iowa State. It is Young’s second major injury. He missed the entire 2003 campaign due to a knee injury he suffered in pre-season workouts. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says it’s a tough ordeal. The Hawkeyes take a number-12 ranking and a 2-0 record to Arizona State this weekend. Ferentz says the Hawks realize they have a long way to go.One area of concern right now is special teams. The Hawks gave up a couple of long kickoff returns and had a field goal and punt blocked in the game against ISU. Ferentz says if that continues the Hawkeyes will be in trouble. He says they’ve been in this situation before and says for some reason they don’t have the hardness they need. He says one way to improve that is to make some changes.
