 In
his first two seasons at Iowa State, Taylor Mansfield made
some strides. After red shirting in 2006 and debuting
in 2007, former Decorah High School football stand out
Taylor Mansfield is more determined than ever coming into
next season. A two-time first team All State athlete,
Mansfield sat out last fall due to a stress fracture in his
ankle. "I expect to be fully recovered by our spring
season in late March," said Mansfield. From then on,
he will continue his pursuit to be at the top of the depth
chart..
When Mansfield started school, Dan Mc Carney was the head
coach. Last fall Gene Chizik was brought in as the new
head coach. The coaching transition made it hard for
Iowa State to have immediate success and the Cyclones posted
a disappointing 3-9 record. Iowa State will have a
extremely young team this year given the fact that four year
starting quarterback Brett Meyer and record breaking
receiver Todd Blythe are now gone due to graduation.
But this has not changed Mansfield’s optimism for this
season. “I'm extremely anxious," he says, "I cannot wait for
next season.”
How would you describe your first two years at Iowa
State?
My first two years at Iowa State have really flown by.
Football has been great and school has been going well.
Although there have been two disappointing seasons, I
couldn't be happier about where I'm at.
How has the transition been from Dan McCarney to Gene
Chizik?
The transition has gone very smoothly. Obviously,
there are coaching differences between the two, but all in
all I feel that the change went as well as possible.
Both the coaches and the players seem to be very happy.
In what ways is Gene Chizik different from Dan McCarney
and in what ways are they alike?
I would say that Coach Chizik is a bit more intense and
old-school in his personality than Coach McCarney was. But
they both work well with their players and are both great
coaches.
Can you describe the type of injury you had that forced
you to sit out the 2007 season and when you may be back?
I suffered a stress fracture to a small bone in my ankle
that takes a while to heal. I expect to be fully recovered
by our spring season in late March.
How hard was it for you to sit out the 2007 season and
what you have learned from watching the game from the
sidelines?
It's very hard for any player to sit on the sidelines with
an injury. Although it was tough, I learned to be patient,
to continue to work hard, and to continue to prepare for the
next season.
In your first year at Iowa State in 2006, could you
describe the feeling of putting on that Iowa State jersey
for the first time, and playing against some of the best
teams in the country?
It's a thrill to be on the sidelines with the jersey on,
with national powerhouses on the opposite sideline. There is
a lot of hard work that happens before being able to wear
that jersey, and that makes it all the more meaningful. As
exciting as that is, however, I can't wait to get off the
sideline and onto the field.
What have practices with the team been like?
Practices are very efficient. Coaches make sure that
we work very hard in a shorter amount of time, so as to not
waste reps and spend more time than is needed. While
we are being coached very hard, the players do manage to
have a lot of fun at practice.
What type of training are you currently doing right now?
For our training, we lift a lot of weights and run for
conditioning. This will continue through the winter into the
spring.
Could you describe all the pre-game that takes place
before a game?
Pre-game involves players getting mentally prepared and
physically prepared. Everyone has their own routine;
along with the warm up the coaches lead us through.
Before coming out to the field, one of the coaches will
usually give a short pep talk.
Next season, there will be a new helmet and uniform
change. How do you like it?
I don't mind the new colors or logo. I don't think
that many of the players worry about it. Our main
concern is preparing for the next season
Are you anxious to get out into the game next season to
get snaps at the fullback position?
Yes, I'm extremely anxious. I cannot wait for next
season. There is a lot of hard work for me between now
and then, though, if I expect to see much playing time.
What are some things you would like to accomplish,
personally and for the team?
First and foremost, I would like to help the team in anyway
possible. In the past that has meant being on the
scout team and preparing the starters for the upcoming game.
In the future, however, I hope to see some significant
playing time. |
