AMES — Kamari Cotton-Moya’s true to his word.
Iowa State’s standout free safety — who pledged to be back this season after suffering a serious hamstring injury — will be prepped this week as if he will play in Saturday’s 11 p.m. game at Kansas State.
“We’re going to put him into all preparation, all of practice,” Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads said during today’s weekly news conference. “Not going to ask him to do things to prove on Wednesday or Thursday that he’s 100 percent because he’s not going to be. We’re going to get him to the game and warm him up and have him prepared and how much he’ll play, we’ll see come Saturday.”
It’s all good news on the injury front for ISU.
Rhoads said the team’s best guard, Daniel Burton, will practice today, as will his cohort, Oni Omoile, who sat out last week with back issues, but has responded “tremendously well” to treatment.
“Expect them all week, expect them for Saturday,” said Rhoads, who added defensive lineman Pierre Aka should be back, as well.
Cotton-Moya’s impending return understandably excites his fellow defenders.
The 2014 Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the year remains sixth on the team in tackles with 40 despite missing the past four games.
“He’s experienced, so it is calming,” cornerback Brian Peavy said.
