Paul Rhoads

Paul Rhoads

Texas may be in rebuilding mode right now but the advantages the Longhorns have in terms of resources make it only a matter of time until winning football returns to Austin.

Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says it is an advantage that forces other Big 12 schools to adapt. “You’ve got to have the things in place that you feel you need to be successful, and (Athletic Director) Jamie Pollard is making sure of that within our program. And then you go out and continue to recruit players who fit your program, that have the best ability possible, coach them up and make the fewest amount of mistakes, play hard and giver yourself a chance to compete,” Rhoads says.

Rhoads says Texas will always have a larger recruiting base and a financial advantage, and they have tried to find a better solution that fits Iowa State. The Longhorns are 2-4 under first year coach Charlie Strong, who dismissed or suspended nearly a dozen players in pre season, and depth has been an issue.

“I think they are down in depth because they have lost a lot of players off their roster…I think that’s a piece of it,” Rhoads says. He says the defense though, is as good as there is in the country.

The Cyclones went to play an up tempo offense and scored 28 second half points in a come from behind win over Toledo. Rhoads says the up tempo was good and successful, and it’s only something you can use if you are successful as he says it can cause your defense to be on the field too long.

Rhoads says playing well in the state of Texas always helps the Cyclones on the recruiting trail. He says they will always recruit Texas heavily with the state’s abundance of players and the fact that they will go there twice a year to play teams in the league.

The Cyclones are 2-4 at the midway point of the season and the next goal is to earn a first Big 12 victory. “Every game in this league is a national stage and a great opportunity. You are talking about a league that has half of its teams in the top 15 of the country….that’s a pretty impressive number,” Rhoads says.

Texas is coming off a 31-26 loss to Oklahoma. Texas coach Charlie Strong says their attitude is good and sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes is making big strides. Swoopes passed for 334 yards and a couple of touchdowns in the loss to Oklahoma.