Tornado Warning

By KEVIN HASKIN

The Capital-Journal

AMES, Iowa --- The knocks on Bill Snyder's non-conference scheduling have been heard throughout the nation, including Iowa State.

But Dan McCarney chose to ignore the critics. He has seen how much confidence Kansas State gained from whipping inferior foes, how its facilities could be improved with the dollars generated from extra home games, how fans will flock to see a winner no matter how lopsided the matchup.

After gaining control of scheduling, McCarney has adapted the same format, though he does insist the Cyclones will continue their series against Iowa and why not? Iowa State is the better program these days, defeating its in-state rival two years in a row after suffering 15 straight defeats in the series.

"I agree with what Bill's done a one thousand percent and admire everything he's done down there," said McCarney, who coached with Snyder at Iowa from 1979-88. "When you go into a program that has bottomed out as low as it gets, both at his place and mine, anything that's positive, anything that can build confidence and self-esteem is something that should be done.

"It's a great idea and I'll continue to schedule teams that we have a good chance against. It's a great plan and I'm sure some of the people who complain about that are some of the same people who still go to warm places come December and January to support Bill on those great bowl trips they take."

Considering the 3-0 record the Cyclones will take into their Big 12 opener at 11:38 a.m. today in Jack Trice Stadium, it may not be too far-fetched for Iowa State fans to check their holiday plans. Then again ...

"I sure haven't yet," McCarney said. "We've got a date against one of the best programs in the country and that's all that's on my mind."

That team would be Kansas State, which is 2-0, ranked No. 15 and a two-touchdown favorite to record its sixth straight win in a series it has dominated by a 202-57 margin in five consecutive wins over ISU.

McCarney put it best.

"Frankly in the four years we've been here it's been the men and the boys," he said. "The men have been Kansas State and the boys have been Iowa State. We're hoping this can kind of be a men and the men deal, so it can be a real football game, which it hasn't since I've been here."

Improvement along both front lines has helped Iowa State get off to its 3-0 start, and cleared a wide path for senior tailback Darren Davis, who ranks second in the nation with 555 yards rushing. The ground game has produced a 37-23 in minutes of possession, but has sputtered in the red zone, where the Cyclones have failed to score five times.

They might be encouraged by the fact the Wildcats have bogged down without points six times in the red zone and 14 times in opponents' territory.

Consistency is something K-State will seek offensively behind quarterback Jonathan Beasley, who has shown some good flashes by averaging 18.9 yards on his 20 receptions and firing three touchdown bombs to Quincy Morgan.

"The most important thing we need to look at right now is we need to play better than we're playing," Snyder said. "It's always in spurts and I couldn't tell you we haven't played well in every snap of every ballgame. There's some times when we've played extremely well in all facets of the game, but there's not that consistency. There's enough mediocre performance that tells us all we need to improve."

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