AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says he’s grateful that schools like Texas and Oklahoma appear to be working on staying in the Big 12.  Rhoads said Wednesday that he’s happy with the direction the beleaguered conference appears to be heading and what that means for his program.  Rhoads’s comments came one day after the Pac-12 squashed any hope of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech joining the conference, which could have been a deadly blow to the Big 12.  Rhoads says the Big 12 is a “pretty good” football conference and a strong one overall.  Iowa State spokesman Steve Malchow told The Associated Press Wednesday that athletic director Jamie Pollard declined to comment on the Big 12 situation.