Football: ISU looking for growth from Richarsdon

Fifteen practices is an awful long time in the college football world. It?s the number allowed during a spring practice.

It?s also the number Iowa State quarterback Sam Richardson has during this 2012 bowl season.

And Iowa State offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham hopes Richardson uses these future practices ? about six remain ? to put him in a position to go back and play like he did in November.

?I thought he was spot on against KU, and I would like to see a bunch of those days,? Messingham said.

How much growth can be expected of a redshirt freshman with limited experience but an impressive stat line?

If you listen to the Cyclone coaches, it turns out plenty, if the goal is to get Richardson in a position to repeat his 250-passing yard, five-total touchdown performance from the Kansas game, not just in the Liberty Bowl against Tulsa on Dec 31. (2:30 p.m., ESPN), but next season as well.

?He can make a lot of growth because of the number of reps he?s getting with the ones,? Messingham said. ?But I also think that a huge part of it comes to the mental aspect of anticipating and seeing things at a slower speed, and that happens by knowing what the defense plays.?

Lost amid the Richardson-mania that overwhelmed the fan base in November is that he?s inexperienced. Richardson threw his first collegiate pass against the Jayhawks.

He still has plenty to learn, be it with the offense, the pace of college play or his own development as a passer.

But what might impress Messingham the most with Richardson?s bowl prep is his devotion to film. It?s not only helping him get a grasp on Tulsa, but it helps the relationship between Richardson and Messingham.

?He knows the more he understands about the defense, the easier it is for us to communicate and for us to talk on the same level as far as what we expect the defense to do,? Messingham said.

The word Richardson uses to describe his bowl prep is comfort. He?s trying to use this month to get a better grasp on everything.

?All the reps that I?m getting,? Richardson said, ?it?s something that is very nice for me, getting comfortable with the offense, with the line, the receivers. That?s my main thing, getting comfortable.?

Richardson is getting more practice time with the first unit now than he?s had all season. With each additional rep, Richardson is growing more into the starting quarterback role, Messingham said.

But that doesn?t mean coach Paul Rhoads is seeing a metamorphosis from Richardson.

?To be honest I don?t see a great bit of difference,? Rhoads said. ?I don?t mean that in a negative way. It?s not like with one start and a lot of playing time in the other game and these extra practice reps he?s bloomed into the next Dan Marino. He is doing a nice job, but he also did a nice job before.?

The Cyclones aren?t looking for Richardson to turn into a Hall of Fame quarterback. They just want him to be the kid that threw up 51 points on Kansas.

Four sign with ISU

The Cyclones received four letters of intent Wednesday in the mid-December signing period. They were from Iowa Western Community College running back Aaron Wimberly, Arizona Western Community College tight end Emmanuel Bibbs and Florida high school players Shawn Curtis, an offensive lineman, and Alton Meeks, a linebacker.

All four will enroll at ISU for the spring semester.

Source: http://amestrib.com/sections/sports/isu-cyclones/football-isu-looking-growth-richarsdon.html

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