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Johnson is Rhoads' worst nightmare under center
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-10-29
Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads doesn’t like facing two types of quarterbacks, mobile ones and deadly accurate ones.
And he hates it when one quarterback, like Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson, can do both.
But Rhoads and the defensive staff will have to find a way to keep Johnson from beating the Cyclones either way when the Cyclones (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) traves to Texas A&M (4-3, 1-2) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
“He is dangerous because he is your two worst fears,” Rhoads said.
Johnson is the spearhead of an Aggie offense that is third in the nation in total offense (489.0 yards) and eighth in points (35.86).
After starting the final 10 games last season and setting the school record with 21 touchdown passes, Johnson has taken off this season. He has thrown for 300 yards three times, including a 349-yard, two touchdown day in the season opener against New Mexico.
The 6-foot-5, 243-pound junior signal caller is third in the Big 12 with 2,131 passing yards and has a 17-to-3 touchdown to interception ratio while also bruising his way for 233 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
“He can sit on the hash and throw an out on the left sideline and do it at 25 yards,” Rhoads said. “When they run as much empty (backfield) as they do, that tends to spread a defense out and get them outside the hashes and leaves a lot of green grass for the quarterback to get outside and run.”
Johnson didn’t need to use his legs much last year against ISU as he threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns in Texas A&M’s 49-35 win. The Cyclones will attempt to slow Johnson down on Saturday by switching between blitzes and zone coverages.
“You just can’t let him sit back there and pick you apart because that is what he’s capable of,” Rhoads said. “You can’t gamble so to speak all afternoon long and let him get you that way. We will continue to mix (it) up.”
Johnson isn’t Texas A&M’s only difference maker.
Pass rush specialist Von Miller leads the nation with 12.5 sacks. Miller, who plays out of a two-point stance, utilizes his speed to put pressure on quarterbacks from the edge and Rhoads said he’s the type of pass rusher that’s given ISU problems in the past.
“He can flat out scream when it comes to getting up the field,” Rhoads said. “The scary part to that is if it’s one thing our tackles struggle with, it’s speed rushers. If we can get on you, we can tend to block you a little bit, and if we can’t ever get on you — and that’s what he does well — it’s hard to get him stopped, it’s hard to get him contained.”
But the Cyclones will have to find a way to do it if they want to leave College Station, Texas, bowl eligible for the first time since 2005.
“We want to quell (talk of a bowl),” defensive tackle Nate Frere said. “We need one more win to do that.”
Cyclones pick up two recruits
Katy, Texas linebacker Floyd Mattison and Encino, Calif. offensive lineman Ben Loth have both verbally committed to ISU, according to Rivals.com. Mattison originally committed to Houston before switching and Loth, a Rivals three-star prospect, is a high school teammate of tight end Pierce Richardson, who committed to the Cyclones earlier this week.
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-10-29
Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads doesn’t like facing two types of quarterbacks, mobile ones and deadly accurate ones.
And he hates it when one quarterback, like Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson, can do both.
But Rhoads and the defensive staff will have to find a way to keep Johnson from beating the Cyclones either way when the Cyclones (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) traves to Texas A&M (4-3, 1-2) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
“He is dangerous because he is your two worst fears,” Rhoads said.
Johnson is the spearhead of an Aggie offense that is third in the nation in total offense (489.0 yards) and eighth in points (35.86).
After starting the final 10 games last season and setting the school record with 21 touchdown passes, Johnson has taken off this season. He has thrown for 300 yards three times, including a 349-yard, two touchdown day in the season opener against New Mexico.
The 6-foot-5, 243-pound junior signal caller is third in the Big 12 with 2,131 passing yards and has a 17-to-3 touchdown to interception ratio while also bruising his way for 233 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
“He can sit on the hash and throw an out on the left sideline and do it at 25 yards,” Rhoads said. “When they run as much empty (backfield) as they do, that tends to spread a defense out and get them outside the hashes and leaves a lot of green grass for the quarterback to get outside and run.”
Johnson didn’t need to use his legs much last year against ISU as he threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns in Texas A&M’s 49-35 win. The Cyclones will attempt to slow Johnson down on Saturday by switching between blitzes and zone coverages.
“You just can’t let him sit back there and pick you apart because that is what he’s capable of,” Rhoads said. “You can’t gamble so to speak all afternoon long and let him get you that way. We will continue to mix (it) up.”
Johnson isn’t Texas A&M’s only difference maker.
Pass rush specialist Von Miller leads the nation with 12.5 sacks. Miller, who plays out of a two-point stance, utilizes his speed to put pressure on quarterbacks from the edge and Rhoads said he’s the type of pass rusher that’s given ISU problems in the past.
“He can flat out scream when it comes to getting up the field,” Rhoads said. “The scary part to that is if it’s one thing our tackles struggle with, it’s speed rushers. If we can get on you, we can tend to block you a little bit, and if we can’t ever get on you — and that’s what he does well — it’s hard to get him stopped, it’s hard to get him contained.”
But the Cyclones will have to find a way to do it if they want to leave College Station, Texas, bowl eligible for the first time since 2005.
“We want to quell (talk of a bowl),” defensive tackle Nate Frere said. “We need one more win to do that.”
Cyclones pick up two recruits
Katy, Texas linebacker Floyd Mattison and Encino, Calif. offensive lineman Ben Loth have both verbally committed to ISU, according to Rivals.com. Mattison originally committed to Houston before switching and Loth, a Rivals three-star prospect, is a high school teammate of tight end Pierce Richardson, who committed to the Cyclones earlier this week.
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
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