Nebraska built a 21-0 halftime lead and only let Iowa State in the enzone once in the second half to down the Cyclones 35-7 Saturday in Ames. The Cyclones got a 67-yard touchdown run from Alexander Robinson on the first drive of the second half, but Cyclone coach Gene Chizik says his offense didn’t do much else.
Chizik says other than the run from Robinson, they are out of sync on offense and not getting anything going. Defensively he says they hang on and hang on, and then give up a big play. Iowa State took a big lead into halftime against Kansas two weeks ago, but ended up losing that game and has now been beaten soundly by Baylor and Nebraka.
Chizik says they have gone backwards since the first half of the Kansas game they have gone backwards "It’s a fine line as to why right now…we’ve got to start putting our fingers into the holes of this dam," Chizik says. It was the fifth straight loss for the Cyclones, who are starting several young players. Chizik says they have to keep the team playing hard.
Chizik says it’s the job of the coaches to make sure this doesn’t become a downward spiral that they can’t close the door on. Chizik says they have five more opportunities and have to do something to stop the losses and get things "under control."
Cyclone quarterback Austen Arnaud says they have to do a better job of executing on offense. Arnaud says the coaches are making the right calls, but the players have to do a better job of executing what they call.
The Cyclones are now 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12. They host Texas A&M Saturday.