CycloneReport.com - On the Cy'd: ISU & the spread

September 24, 2009

John Doolittle
CycloneReport.com Columnist

There is really no way to get around it. This new spread offense is going to be a work in progress.

New offensive coordinator Tom Herman hoped the machine would be a little further along by now, but it's not humming yet. So much of this offense is predicated on what the quarterback can do. When throwing, it's supposed to be fast break, snap the ball quickly, get the ball out of your hand to a receiver to make yards after the catch.

Through three games it's been more about Austen Arnaud looking to the sideline, then looking again (as if he's unsure), then not being as precise as this offense will need to be.

Arnaud's comfort level appears to be lacking. A large chunk of the time the offense still looks like Robert McFarland's attack. Maybe that's because the same player is at the helm. So it looks like Austen Arnaud's offense. It needs to look like Tom Herman's offense.

Watching film of the Rice Owls the last couple of seasons gives a clear indication of what the potential is. Arnaud will need to pick up his play and understanding of what Herman wants. The bar will have to be raised.

Arnaud had a nice bounce-back game at Kent State from the forgettable Iowa outing. Austen is a stand-up guy and a solid team leader. He was one of the first players into the interview room following his four-pick day against the Hawkeyes. He knew he forced some throws. He knows he'll have to execute better.

After three high percentage throws to begin the game at Kent, Arnaud shied away from passing, opting to pull the ball down and run it, not risking a turnover through the air. His throw to emerging receiver Jake Williams to give the Cyclones the lead for good was a thing of beauty. Arnaud's guy was going to catch it, or nobody was. Nice touch, good arc. Just the way it was drawn up.

To be completely fair about Arnaud's status as the Iowa State quarterback is to point out that Arnaud may be under the most pressure in school history at his position. Being a local kid means wanting to deliver more than anyone other than he alone would know. The new offense, basically the third offense Arnaud has needed to learn, run and perfect. And all the focus on the quarterback in the spread attack, how quick and accurate and pinpoint you need to be in it.

Arnaud will get his opportunities in the offense, if he can get better in it.
In fact, current and future ISU QBs will have a chance to blow away the numbers in the record book.

The Cyclones have employed a number of good quarterbacks over the last forty years. Some really good. None really great.

When I was a young boy in Story City, my favorite player was George Amundson. A lot of kids had his No. 12 jersey, and I did too. Amundson was a picture of versatility, playing both quarterback and halfback during his three years of varsity ball. George was moved to make way for Dean Carlson to play QB to get both players of the field in 1971. So Amundson was asked to play several roles, but the game was much more simple then. Not the intricate offense Arnaud or any ISU quarterback has to run.

During Earle Bruce's early years at Iowa State, both Wayne Stanley and Buddy Hardeman shared the quarterbacking duties. Stanley had 25 touchdown passes in his three seasons, a number that many QBs put up in one season now.

In ISU's Peach Bowl season of 1977 Terry Rubley had exactly four touchdown passes all season. John Quinn was an OK quarterback under Donnie Duncan on a pair of mid-level Cyclone team s in the early 1980s. He combined for seven touchdown passes. David Archer was an above average quarterback in 1982 and '83 and he combined for eight. Alex Espinoza gave the Cyclones a throwing attack that had never been seen before in Ames, and he posted 33 TD tosses over three years. But between 1987 and 1995, the Cyclones did not have one QB go for double figures in a single season.

As gritty a player as Todd Doxzon was, he had just 19 touchdown passes in three years as ISU starting quarterback, ending in 1996. Of course Doxzon had a pretty good running back in with the backfield with him in back-to-back 2,000 yard rusher Troy Davis.

Iowa State finally had its first 20-touchdown quarterback in 1997: Todd Bandhauer. They haven't had one since.

Over the last ten years, Iowa State has featured its best quarterbacks in history, beginning with Sage Rosenfels, who in arguably Iowa State's best ever season of 2000, had only eight touchdown passes. Seneca Wallace followed and dazzled, and threw for 26 scores in his two seasons.

Austin Flynn gave way to Bret Meyer in 2004, and Meyer re-wrote the Cyclone record book in nearly every passing area. It took 20 seasons, from 1986 to 2006, for someone to pass Espinoza's 33 career touchdown passes, but Meyer did in his junior season. Meyer also had 500 career passing attempts more than anyone else in Cyclone history.

Still, when Meyer was a senior, (partially because he was banged up as a result of a suspect offensive line), Arnaud was given series and snaps as a freshman to ready for the battles ahead. Now Jerome Tiller, a player who has been groomed in the spread in high school, is getting his own playing time.

Times have changed and the Cyclones have opted to change with them. Three yards and a cloud of dust seems like a long time ago. No more 40 carry days for running backs. 20-30 completion games may not be unusual. That's a lot of pressure for the position. Does Iowa State have it's spread quarterback in Arnaud or Tiller, or both? Do they have the physical and mental makeup to excel in what Herman requires?

Maybe it's a little like a young kid making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You can show them how to spread, but at first, they might still tear the bread. The Cyclones may have to endure some cuts and rips before their spread becomes smooth.

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