Saturday’s game against Missouri will carry some added emotion for 23 Iowa State seniors. Not only do they want to close their career with a victory they also want to win for outgoing coach Dan McCarney. Senior receiver Austin Flynn hopes that fans respond. Flynn says McCarney has given a lot to the university and Flynn says he’d like to see the crowed give the coach a little respect and support for his 12 years of work.
It has not been the season Flynn had hoped for but says this final game carries added meaning. Flynn says he wishes they were going south to a bowl game, but says this will be his final game and be emotional. Flynn says it’s not a storybook ending, but it is what he’s been dealt and he will play hard in his last game.
Flynn says they will need to keep their emotions in check and focus on the game. He says you need emotion and energy to boost the team. Flynn says seeing his family on the 50-yard-line for senior day will be a “unbelievable experience, moment in my life.” Flynn says it will be the last time his family drives 16 hours to see him play a football game and he will play with passion and energy and love of the game.
Defensive back/kick returner Ryan Baum says he has been thinking of this final game more and more as the season has progressed. Baum says there have been a couple of games he’s been on the bus ride to the stadium thinking about his last game. Baum says the final game will be one of the hardest things he’s had to do in his career, next to going to the announcement of Dan McCarney’s resignation.
Baum says they need to keep their emotions from becoming a distraction. He says they have to focus in on the task at hand and forget about it being McCarney’s last game and the seniors’ last game, and Baum says it will be tough to do.
Baum says he also hopes the fans respond. Baum says, “For coach Mac alone, not for us. Just..want to see the respect he deserves as head coach. I mean, he is Iowa State. Always will be. He built this program and got it to where we’re at right now. Though it’s been a disappointing season and I know we’ve let a lot of people down with our record. But just simply out of respect for the man who built this place, I would love to see not a seat left in this place.”