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Should we give KO a rest?

L

Lyon309Cy

Well-Known Member
Sep 5, 2010
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With a bye week after UConn before the conference grind kicks in, I think we need to give KO as much rest as we can afford to this Friday. Bum ankles take time (even more at his size, I'd imagine) and we will need to have him as close to 100% for as much of the season as we can.
If it's a close game, he has to be in there, but if we get a lead, I'd like to see Bykowski. I guess the question is, at what point should we rest him? How comfortable is comfortable enough. Certainly he will start and keep that streak of his going, but when do we start giving him series off? Personally, if we can take a 2 TD lead into the half and have done it in controlling fashion, I'd be comfortable letting him take the second half off.
I'm not taking UConn for granted, we're better than they are, but not by that much, and it's on the road. I don't expect us to pull away until the 4th quarter. But I could see a scenario in which our O score on the first 2 drives and our D sets up a short field for another quick score and suddenly UConn is out of their game plan where we could get some rest to KO and maybe some of the other injured warriors out there. I'd rather have a completely healthy (or as close to it as possible) team out there for Texas to start the conference with, than to have a more comfortable win over UConn. This would seem to be the only chance we have left on the schedule, and especially with the bye following, to get healthy during the season.

How comfortable does the lead need to be to be comfortable enough?
 
When I saw the title, my first thought was "are you ******* nuts?!". But, if the lead gets to 3 TDs and it's in the fourth quarter, yank KO and Jantz (you don't want Jantz in the game if KO isn't unless it's absolutely necessary).
 
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I'm sure they'd love to, but after the UNI game there's no way they can afford to not have him out there on Friday.
 
I agree with beat Uconn and rest, we need this game in the W column for bowl game purposes
 
If we somehow come out and play so well that we are up by 3 touchdowns in the 4th quarter, I agree that he and Jantz and anyone else that has lingering injuries (Knott) will come out of the game.

But I doubt we'll be in that position. I hope I eat crow on this.
 
UConn has a solid defense and a veteran front seven. There are many reasons to think we have an edge over UConn, but line play might not be such a sure thing. We'll need the big fella this week, and he'll have plenty of time to rest before Texas.
 
tm3308 said:
When I saw the title, my first thought was "are you ******* nuts?!". But, if the lead gets to 3 TDs and it's in the fourth quarter, yank KO and Jantz (you don't want Jantz in the game if KO isn't unless it's absolutely necessary).
Click to expand...
Need to yank Jantz in that situation to give Barnett some playing experience
 
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tm3308 said:
When I saw the title, my first thought was "are you ******* nuts?!". But, if the lead gets to 3 TDs and it's in the fourth quarter, yank KO and Jantz (you don't want Jantz in the game if KO isn't unless it's absolutely necessary).
Click to expand...


Your first thought was accurate.
 
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Too much of a team leader, we need him to start, IMO the more he plays the better we are as a team, after Friday night he has a 15 day break till Texas....
 
Last time i checked and I wish this wasnt the case. Iowa State doesnt pull away from teams very easily in dominant fashion on the road (And no i am not talking about the TOLEDO of the world). So I fully expect to see KO out there all game long clearing paths for Johnson and White.:yes: It's a big game for both teams, friday night, ESPN 2. It is going to take a lot for that big fella not to be out there.
 
Short answer: NO

We cannot afford to rest him. With our schedule we cannot afford to not go all out for one of the most winnable games.

On a different note: we could not have wished for a better scheduled bye week. I'm used to ISU having byes when it doesn't matter. This one, by contrast, could change the season!
 
Yes, beat UConn. Absolutely. I wasn't trying to say I think we're going to cream UConn. I don't think we're that much better than them, and it's our first road game, on short rest after a draining triple OT game. We very well may lose. I understand that. But I'm ever the optimist; so, hypothetically, if we're up 3 TDs heading into the 4th and they haven't moved the ball all night and are now having to throw (which they haven't done well all year), I say rest anyone who needs it. We're going to need KO in a big way for the rest of the season, and every time he ends up on the ground I see the premature end to a promising season (for him and for our team).
I apologize if it seems like I'm setting unrealistic expectations. I do think we'll beat UConn, and will do so without the last second heroics that have marked our first two games. I don't expect that we'll be able to rest anyone. But, how big of a lead would we need to get before that becomes a relevant option? If they have 2 scores or fewer and our D has looked good, and we have a 2 TD lead on them, get KO out for a series or two. If it's a shoot out and our D has been suspect, I wouldn't feel comfortable with any lead.
 
Sure, give him the day off.



We'll just put in another 6' 6" 347 pound high draft pick.
 
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