Blythe puts to rest the "rumors" of him transfering to Iowa. Now if the boards could do the same thing.
Stars Blythe, Bowen: We're suiting up for ISU next year
With one game left, top juniors dispel rumors about transferring.
varUsername = "[email protected]";document.write("By RANDY PETERSON");By RANDY PETERSON
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
November 16, 2006
Ames, Ia. - Iowa State football fans are losing a coaching staff after Saturday's game against Missouri at Jack Trice Stadium, but key players say they are staying.
Receiver Todd Blythe and linebacker Alvin Bowen said this week that they plan to return for their senior seasons.
"I've heard the rumors," Blythe said of the possibility of leaving after this season for a professional career. "I'll be here next season."
Bowen, who fell from first to second on the national tackles list last week, also has heard speculation about his future.
"I'll be here," said Bowen, whose average of 13.27 tackles a game trails the 13.33 of San Jose State's Matthew Castelo. "Trust me. I've heard people, friends of mine, talk about it, but when I signed, I wanted to help Iowa State as much as I can.
"Leaving early won't help that."
They're staying despite the fact that the coach who recruited them, Dan McCarney, will end 12 seasons at the school after Saturday's game. He announced last week plans to step down as the Cyclones' coach.
"I don't like that coach Mac is leaving, but I'm not going anywhere," Blythe said.
He just wants to play - immediately - after missing the past three games while battling Epstein Barr virus.
"You're not going to keep me out of (McCarney's) last game," said Blythe, Iowa State's career touchdown receptions leader with 25.
Blythe lost 12 pounds with what he described as a "mononucleosis-like" virus.
"Besides losing weight, the biggest problem was that my spleen was too big and they didn't want it to rupture," Blythe said. "They wanted to make sure my insides were back to the normal size before they let me play again."
He missed games against Colorado, Kansas and Kansas State. Blythe had played all 32 games since his redshirt freshman season.
"It's really sickening not playing," Blythe said. "I'd played in every single game since I got here."
Blythe's saga mirrors that of the team, which needs a victory Saturday to avoid its second winless Big 12 Conference season in the past four years.
He didn't catch a pass in a 16-10 victory over Nevada-Las Vegas. He totaled only five receptions in the last two games in which he played - against Oklahoma and Texas Tech.
Add McCarney's departure Saturday, and "it's been a crazy year in college football," Blythe said. "You just don't know what's going to happen next."
What will happen, he says, will be a Blythe sighting in Saturday's game.
"My insides are back to being normal," Blythe said. "If anyone's worried, I'll tell them to just pack me in foam and we'll call it good.
"If something happens, there's a hospital right down the street."
Reporter Randy Peterson can be reached at (515) 284-8132 or [email protected]
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061116/SPORTS020602/611160440
Stars Blythe, Bowen: We're suiting up for ISU next year
With one game left, top juniors dispel rumors about transferring.
varUsername = "[email protected]";document.write("By RANDY PETERSON");By RANDY PETERSON
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
November 16, 2006
Ames, Ia. - Iowa State football fans are losing a coaching staff after Saturday's game against Missouri at Jack Trice Stadium, but key players say they are staying.
Receiver Todd Blythe and linebacker Alvin Bowen said this week that they plan to return for their senior seasons.
"I've heard the rumors," Blythe said of the possibility of leaving after this season for a professional career. "I'll be here next season."
Bowen, who fell from first to second on the national tackles list last week, also has heard speculation about his future.
"I'll be here," said Bowen, whose average of 13.27 tackles a game trails the 13.33 of San Jose State's Matthew Castelo. "Trust me. I've heard people, friends of mine, talk about it, but when I signed, I wanted to help Iowa State as much as I can.
"Leaving early won't help that."
They're staying despite the fact that the coach who recruited them, Dan McCarney, will end 12 seasons at the school after Saturday's game. He announced last week plans to step down as the Cyclones' coach.
"I don't like that coach Mac is leaving, but I'm not going anywhere," Blythe said.
He just wants to play - immediately - after missing the past three games while battling Epstein Barr virus.
"You're not going to keep me out of (McCarney's) last game," said Blythe, Iowa State's career touchdown receptions leader with 25.
Blythe lost 12 pounds with what he described as a "mononucleosis-like" virus.
"Besides losing weight, the biggest problem was that my spleen was too big and they didn't want it to rupture," Blythe said. "They wanted to make sure my insides were back to the normal size before they let me play again."
He missed games against Colorado, Kansas and Kansas State. Blythe had played all 32 games since his redshirt freshman season.
"It's really sickening not playing," Blythe said. "I'd played in every single game since I got here."
Blythe's saga mirrors that of the team, which needs a victory Saturday to avoid its second winless Big 12 Conference season in the past four years.
He didn't catch a pass in a 16-10 victory over Nevada-Las Vegas. He totaled only five receptions in the last two games in which he played - against Oklahoma and Texas Tech.
Add McCarney's departure Saturday, and "it's been a crazy year in college football," Blythe said. "You just don't know what's going to happen next."
What will happen, he says, will be a Blythe sighting in Saturday's game.
"My insides are back to being normal," Blythe said. "If anyone's worried, I'll tell them to just pack me in foam and we'll call it good.
"If something happens, there's a hospital right down the street."
Reporter Randy Peterson can be reached at (515) 284-8132 or [email protected]
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061116/SPORTS020602/611160440
