Iowa State Cyclones vs Oklahoma Sooners: ‘Likely’ no quarterback change for either team
By Brian Spaen
There doesn’t appear to be a change at the quarterback position for either the Iowa State Cyclones or Oklahoma Sooners when they match up against each other on Saturday.
Nov 7, 2013; Waco, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Blake Bell (10) throws a pass in warmups before the game against the Baylor Bears at Floyd Casey Stadium. Baylor beat Oklahoma 41-12. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Both starting quarterbacks in their previous outings struggled. Cyclones quarterback Grant Rohach completed 18 of 38 passes for 148 yards, with many of those incomplete passes being the result of off-target throws. Sooners quarterback Blake Bell finished with 15 of 35 passing completions for 150 yards and threw two interceptions, but he was up against a much more daunting defense in the Big 12’s highest rated team, the Baylor Bears.
For Oklahoma, Bob Stoops reiterated that they’ll be sticking with the guy that’s started in their last seven games in the Associated Press preview.
"Despite calls from some quarters for sophomore Kendal Thompson – who missed almost all of preseason practice with a fractured foot and hasn’t played this season – to have a shot at quarterback, Stoops said Bell would remain the starter when No. 22 [Oklahoma hosts Iowa State] on Saturday.“We’ve just got to be able to throw the football better. We’ll continue to work on that,” said Stoops, who later added: “I’m not going to change what we’re doing with the quarterbacks” regarding playing time."
In Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads’ weekly press conference, he wouldn’t state who the quarterback would be.
Coach Rhoads says it is too early to tell what the quarterback situation will be this week and who will start.
— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) November 11, 2013
However, the Cyclones’ depth chart has Grant Rohach listed first and the AP preview writes that the Cyclones are “likely sticking with their quarterback.” All signs point to a second straight start with Sam Richardson not even attempting a pass last week and battled a thumb injury among the mass array of injuries that the former starter has struggled with in his sophomore season.