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Iowa State football OL Carson Rhodes executes kickoff for injured Chase Smith vs. Colorado

Iowa State football OL Carson Rhodes executes kickoff for injured Chase Smith vs. Colorado

1 day ago7 min read0 comments

In a moment of gridiron desperation that would have made even the most grizzled football traditionalist smile, the Iowa State Cyclones found an unlikely hero in the hulking form of offensive lineman Carson Rhodes during their October 11th clash with Colorado. With the team's kicking corps decimated by injury—starter Kyle Konrardy already sidelined and backup Chase Smith limping off the field in clear distress after the second half's opening kickoff—the Cyclones faced a genuine special teams crisis.Smith, demonstrating sheer grit, managed to return to nail a PAT, but when the moment came for the ensuing kickoff following a third-quarter score, he was visibly unable to perform the duty, a scenario that could have easily derailed a lesser team's momentum. Enter Carson Rhodes, a 6-foot-8, 310-pound redshirt freshman whose high school soccer background at Nevada High School suddenly transformed from a fun fact on his roster profile into a critical asset.Stepping onto the field with the calm demeanor of a seasoned veteran, Rhodes executed the kickoff with a surprising and effective competence, sending the ball downfield and immediately etching his name into the annals of college football's most memorable emergency performances. This wasn't merely a player filling a gap; it was a testament to the multifaceted nature of the modern athlete, a throwback to an era of two-way players where raw athleticism and a diverse skill set could save the day.Drawing a parallel to legends like William 'The Refrigerator' Perry, whose offensive and defensive versatility defined an era, Rhodes’s kickoff was a powerful reminder that football IQ and adaptability often trump hyper-specialization. The broader context of this moment speaks volumes about the precarious nature of a team's season, hinging on the health of a single, often overlooked, specialist.Smith’s earlier 38-yard field goal now loomed large, and his uncertain availability for future field goal duties—leaving the Cyclones to potentially punt on fourth-down attempts or adopt a more aggressive, go-for-broke mentality—could fundamentally alter the team's strategic calculus for the remainder of the season. Analytically, the situation underscores a critical roster construction dilemma: in an age of limited scholarships, how many teams can afford to carry a dedicated backup kicker? The answer, as demonstrated by Coach Matt Campbell's faith in Rhodes, often lies in cultivating versatile athletes who can rise to the occasion when the playbook is thrown out the window. This single play, a successful kickoff by an offensive lineman, will be remembered not just for its novelty, but for the profound lesson in preparedness, resilience, and the unquantifiable heart that defines championship-caliber teams.

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