Tommy Birch

tbirch@dmreg.com





AMES, Ia -- Paul Rhoads stood in front of reporters Monday, loudly smacking a podium as the sound echoed throughout the room.

Imagine thousands of opposing fans doing the same.

The Iowa State football team will get an up-close look at a loud, hostile, paddle-carrying crowd Saturday when the Cyclones travel to Boone Pickens Stadium to take on No. 21 Oklahoma State at 11 a.m.

"They're very active and involved in the game," Rhoads said. "Those particular people are there early and they're making noise."

The loudest noise comes from the Paddle People, a large gathering of Oklahoma State fans who pound orange paddles on the padded walls of the stadium during the game.

The noise is impossible to miss or ignore, and it has even become an added part of the home-field advantage for the Cowboys, who enter Saturday's contest with a 3-1 record.

Rhoads tried to imitate the sound Monday during his weekly press conference. In doing so, he knocked a recording device off the podium, causing widespread laughter in the room.

"You would think that would be a tough environment," Rhoads said.

The Big 12 Conference passed a rule in 2012 prohibiting artificial noise-makers while the ball is in play or when the offense is at the line of scrimmage. Still, the paddle-pounding has made Stillwater one of the most difficult road environments.

Making matters more difficult are the seats of opposing fans being situated closely behind the Iowa State sidelines.

"They're right on top of you," Rhoads said. "It's a sideline similar to Kinnick and Norman. You're talking to their fans as well as your players as you're making adjustments."

It's had an effect on the Cyclones, who have won just six times in 23 games at Stillwater. Iowa State's last success there was a 33-26 victory on Oct. 14, 2000. Dan McCarney was the coach of the team captained by Chris Anthony, Ryan Harklau, Reggie Hayward and Sage Rosenfels.

"It's a very energetic stadium," Iowa State linebacker Jevohn Miller said.

The Cyclones will prepare for the noise by using speakers at practice.

"We handled it well in Iowa City," Rhoads said of Iowa State's first road test. "We won't rest on that. We'll do the proper work again and hope to be as prepared as possible."

Former Iowa State wide receiver Jack Whitver has first-hand knowledge of how difficult the Oklahoma State environment can be.

He recalled former quarterback Cris Love walking the sidelines and wearing a headset, relaying fake signals. Love's headset wasn't plugged in, but it caught the attention of the nearby students.

"They just ripped him the entire game because he had his fake headset on," Whitver recalled with a chuckle. "They were like, 'Who you talking to, Love? Who's on the other end?' "

Whitver said the fans are an undeniable factor.

"You can act like you don't hear it at all, but when you're on the sideline, that's when you really hear it," Whitver said. ​