The Good and the Bad: Texas
By Ross
The Bad
Leonard Johnson – The penalty on LJ in the second quarter killed the Cyclones. The defense was about to get off the field only trailing by 13 points. Instead, Johnson got called for a penalty after head-butting WR Jaxon Shipley. On the very next play, David Ash hooked up with Mike Davis for a long touchdown. That sucked all the air out of the team and Jack Trice Stadium.
Turnovers – Once again the Cyclones tured the ball over early in the game. This time the Cyclones weren’t playing the UNI Panthers or the UCONN Huskies, they were playing the Texas Longhorns. Iowa State beat themselves. Both teams finished the game with around the same amount of yards. Once again, I wonder how good Iowa State can beat if they limited the turnovers and penalties. Hopefully they can do that against Baylor next week.
Field Goals – Zach Guyer missed a 29-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Clone would have only been down by 10 and would have gained some momentum. The Cyclones left the points on the board and lost all momentum they gained during that drive. I would like to see Mahoney back kicking all the field goals. A great kicker can single handedly win games and I wish we had one.
Darius Reynolds – James White had two large runs in this game that came back due to penalties. Both of the penalties were on Darius Reynolds. White scored on one of the runs but due to Reynolds, it didn’t stand.
Injuries – Injuries are starting to pile up specifically on the offensive line. Brayden Burris broke a bone in his leg and it will require surgery. Kelechi Osemele was injured again. Leonard Johnson went off on a stretcher but was able to wave to the crowd.
The Good
The Fans – Jack Trice Stadium hosted its second largest crowd on Saturday. You could definitely hear the crowd roaring for the defense.
FX’s Production of the Game – It is hard to find some positives from this game. FX did an excellent job producing the game. The picture was great and they had some beautiful views and angles of the game.
The Defense – The game could have gotten out of hand a lot earlier. The offense was turning the ball over in its own territory but the defense stood strong. They held Texas to only 13 points in the first quarter.
Chris Young and Jarvis West – They combined for seven catches last night. Chris Young caught his first touchdown pass in his career late in the game. Jarvis West saw a lot of action and showcased his speed to Cyclone fans. I’m looking forward to seeing him more as we continue the season.