Comments on the Cyclones

On correcting penalties:
You have to continue to focus on it and continue to concentrate up front. We'll do some more drills here in practice time, getting different cadences. Defense is trying to draw you offsides, being able to sit in there and hold in there. Practicing and taking care of the football. We do work it. We're all constantly doing strip-drills and pulling on the football. Players just have to be more concentrated in those areas when they just caught a football and being able to finish with it. They have to take greater concentration in games to secure the ball.

On staying mentally focused after a loss to Texas:
I've only been here eight years and we haven't had an issue of it. We've lost it, we've won it. We've always traditionally come back and played well. Regardless of what happens in that game, you put it behind you and you get ready to play again. We've still got another game to play.

On his relationship with Iowa State Coach, Dan McCarney:
We have a long history.  He was there when I was recruited and my five years playing, and five years as a young graduate assistant coach. I use to tool around with he and Alvarez, whether it was recruiting or going to or from games. So they were great friends and mentors to me. Mentors first, and as I got older we became friends. I have a very close relationship with his family and with his parents. I just talked to his dad last week. I call him every fall to see how he is doing. We have a long history together, and a close one.  He has done a great job. You see Mac's (McCarney's) team every year, and they are well coached and he always gets the most out of them.  

On Iowa State QB Bret Meyer:
As you watch him, he has the ability like so many quarterbacks anymore to run around and make things happen when maybe there isn't much there. The ability to run and scramble is always there with him. He is efficient throwing the football. He is smart in how he uses his big three receivers. He uses them in a really good way. When his guys are covered, he will throw the ball on their back shoulder and give them the opportunity to come back and get the football. He is smart in the way he plays.

On Iowa State:
Offensively, they are very balanced when you look at the run and pass. They use the quarterback run game a good amount of times, so you have to be conscience of that. They have three big receivers that really use their body well.

Defensively, they are structurally very sound. They are conservative in the way they play. They are sound and disciplined, and make you work to beat them. They are a solid team.

We feel real confident after watching some of the tapes against a great Texas team last week. We feel real comfortable about where we're at and the way we can execute. We also feel real comfortable about our schedule.  Iowa State is a great team with a great defense.

I believe if we stay focused on them and not have the mental errors, we've got to be able to take care of the ball. We can't have that many turnovers, so we've got to cancel that for the remainder of the Big 12 and we should probably be alright.

I don't think we have any problems. The past is behind us. We know what we have in front of us and Iowa State is a good team, so we're just going to prepare for them and hopefully come out with a good win. Iowa State is a good football team, they have a great offense. Their defense has great players and their corners are pretty good. We're definitely going to prepare for them pretty good. It should be a good game.