Iowa State coach Gene Chizik will not change quarterbacks for this weekend’s matchup with fourth rated Oklahoma. Freshman Austen Arnaud replaced starter Brett Meyer late in the Cyclones 56-3 loss to Texas. Meyer threw two interceptions against the Longhorns.
“Is Austen ready to step in as a starter right now and help us win a game or what not?, If he was, he’d starting,” Chizik says. Chizik says Arnaud has been banged up with a bad foot, and he can’t do all the things they want him to do right now, but there’s merit to getting him the game more when he is healthy.
The Cyclones are 1-6 but Chizik is not going to go with younger players just to build for the future. Chizik says the message he sends to seniors right now if he goes with the younger guys is that he doesn’t care about what happens the rest of this year. Chizik says that’s not true, as he wants to win every week. He says there’s merit in playing the younger guys more playing time, but says there’s a fine line on when to do it.
Chizik says despite the rough start he still remains confident about the future of the program. Chizik says it’s not easy right now as he has to look to the team and coaches and tell them it’s okay. Chizik says he hasn’t gone through anything like this before to start out, “And I know this is the challenges that head coaches have to go through.”
Chizik says the players know the last five games are all against quality opponents but he says they still have a good attitude. “Nobody loves losing, and we’re all smart enough to figure that out,” Chizik says,”but if you love the game of football, you have five more opportunities to play it.” Chizik says,”If you don’t love the game, you shouldn’t be out there.”
Chizik says Oklahoma has no weaknesses. “You know, do you want your eyes poked out or your nose cut off? Which one do you want, I mean really?,” Chizik says, “they can run it, they can throw it, they can play the run, I mean they might be one of the top run defenses in the country.”