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ISU defense comes up big in fourth quarter
By Dan Wright
Date Posted: 2010-11-06
Down two scores in the fourth quarter, Iowa State needed to find a way to get the ball into quarterback Austen Arnaud’s hands if there was any chance of tying the game.
Enter the Cyclone defense.
The defense held Nebraska scoreless in the final period, helping to erase a 24-10 deficit, before the Cyclones eventually fell in overtime 31-30 to the Cornhuskers on Saturday.
“Defensively, we tightened up,” said linebacker A.J. Klein, who recorded six tackles. “We gave up a few big plays but we stopped them and gave the ball back to the offense for the opportunity to score.”
The Cyclones forced a pair of punts in the fourth, and the special teams forced a fumble.
Arnaud ran for a short score and threw a 14-yard touchdown to Alexander Robinson to tie the game at 24. Arnaud threw another touchdown in overtime to Jake Williams, his second scoring catch of the night, but ISU failed to convert a two-point fake on the point-after try.
The Cyclones outgained Nebraska in total yards 360 to 314, and ISU’s defense allowed only one extended drive in the first half. Roy Helu, Jr. capped a 12-play, 79-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run for the game’s first score in the second period.
Other than that, ISU’s defense kept the Cornhuskers’ ground game from breaking off many big plays. Nebraska, which only threw 12 passes, still finished with 235 yards on the ground.
“We held their overall yards down,” Klein said, “and that’s what we look to do.”
Nebraska didn’t throw the ball much; third-string quarterback Cody Green completed seven of his 12 passes for 79 yards, the fewest completions ISU has allowed since Nov. 20, 2004, when Kansas State had six.
“We expected different quarterbacks to play, so it wasn’t a big change,” Klein said.
Green had just 18 yards passing at halftime, subbing for injured starter Taylor Martinez (ankle) and backup Zac Lee (arm).
At times, Nebraska halfback Rex Burkhead handled snaps out of the Wildcat formation in lieu of a traditional passer. Burkhead finished with 129 yards on 20 carries.
Cyclone safety David Sims, who made a team-high 13 tackles, forced Nebraska’s other fumble two plays after kicker Grant Mahoney missed go-ahead field goal in the second quarter. Defensive end Roosevelt Maggitt recovered at the Cornhuskers’ 42, setting up Mahoney’s 57-yarder that gave the Cyclones a 10-7 lead at halftime.
Most of the Cornhuskers’ scores came off of ISU’s three turnovers.
Helu Jr.’s score followed a Jeff Woody fumble, and Burkhead added a three-yard touchdown run after an interception in the third.
Safety Austin Cassidy also returned a third-quarter interception 29 yards for a score.
“They came out and executed better to start that off, and then we responded and got back in it doing the same thing,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said.
Those scores put ISU in the 14-point hole, which the Cyclones’ defense held in place the rest of the way. Nebraska’s defense also tightened following Arnaud’s late scores, holding ISU far enough away that Mahoney missed a late kick from 55 yards away.
“(We) played good defense,” Rhoads said. “And they stepped up and played good defense and didn’t allow us to get a long enough drive to put us in a makeable field goal situation without numbers working against you with distance.”
On Nebraska’s final drive of regulation, cornerback Leonard Johnson made a diving pass breakup on fourth down-and-six with 45 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
By Dan Wright
Date Posted: 2010-11-06
Iowa State's defense gang-tackles Nebraska runningback Rex Burkhead during the Cornhuskers' 31-30 win Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium.
Tribune photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar
Tribune photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar
Down two scores in the fourth quarter, Iowa State needed to find a way to get the ball into quarterback Austen Arnaud’s hands if there was any chance of tying the game.
Enter the Cyclone defense.
The defense held Nebraska scoreless in the final period, helping to erase a 24-10 deficit, before the Cyclones eventually fell in overtime 31-30 to the Cornhuskers on Saturday.
“Defensively, we tightened up,” said linebacker A.J. Klein, who recorded six tackles. “We gave up a few big plays but we stopped them and gave the ball back to the offense for the opportunity to score.”
The Cyclones forced a pair of punts in the fourth, and the special teams forced a fumble.
Arnaud ran for a short score and threw a 14-yard touchdown to Alexander Robinson to tie the game at 24. Arnaud threw another touchdown in overtime to Jake Williams, his second scoring catch of the night, but ISU failed to convert a two-point fake on the point-after try.
The Cyclones outgained Nebraska in total yards 360 to 314, and ISU’s defense allowed only one extended drive in the first half. Roy Helu, Jr. capped a 12-play, 79-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run for the game’s first score in the second period.
Other than that, ISU’s defense kept the Cornhuskers’ ground game from breaking off many big plays. Nebraska, which only threw 12 passes, still finished with 235 yards on the ground.
“We held their overall yards down,” Klein said, “and that’s what we look to do.”
Nebraska didn’t throw the ball much; third-string quarterback Cody Green completed seven of his 12 passes for 79 yards, the fewest completions ISU has allowed since Nov. 20, 2004, when Kansas State had six.
“We expected different quarterbacks to play, so it wasn’t a big change,” Klein said.
Green had just 18 yards passing at halftime, subbing for injured starter Taylor Martinez (ankle) and backup Zac Lee (arm).
At times, Nebraska halfback Rex Burkhead handled snaps out of the Wildcat formation in lieu of a traditional passer. Burkhead finished with 129 yards on 20 carries.
Cyclone safety David Sims, who made a team-high 13 tackles, forced Nebraska’s other fumble two plays after kicker Grant Mahoney missed go-ahead field goal in the second quarter. Defensive end Roosevelt Maggitt recovered at the Cornhuskers’ 42, setting up Mahoney’s 57-yarder that gave the Cyclones a 10-7 lead at halftime.
Most of the Cornhuskers’ scores came off of ISU’s three turnovers.
Helu Jr.’s score followed a Jeff Woody fumble, and Burkhead added a three-yard touchdown run after an interception in the third.
Safety Austin Cassidy also returned a third-quarter interception 29 yards for a score.
“They came out and executed better to start that off, and then we responded and got back in it doing the same thing,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said.
Those scores put ISU in the 14-point hole, which the Cyclones’ defense held in place the rest of the way. Nebraska’s defense also tightened following Arnaud’s late scores, holding ISU far enough away that Mahoney missed a late kick from 55 yards away.
“(We) played good defense,” Rhoads said. “And they stepped up and played good defense and didn’t allow us to get a long enough drive to put us in a makeable field goal situation without numbers working against you with distance.”
On Nebraska’s final drive of regulation, cornerback Leonard Johnson made a diving pass breakup on fourth down-and-six with 45 seconds left to send the game to overtime.
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