Iowa State Football

It has been 86 years since the former Iowa State College’s Johnny “Jack” Trice died, from injuries he suffered in a game at the University of Minnesota. The son of a former slave, Trice was the first African-American athlete to compete for what is now known as Iowa State University. 

On the second play of his very first collegiate game, Trice broke his collarbone. After lobbying to continue on, he was later trampled by three Golden Gophers. Two days later, Trice died from hemorrhaged lungs and internal bleeding. 

As a result of what Iowa State believed to be an intentional act of violence, the Cyclones didn’t renew their contract to play Minnesota. Sixty-six years passed before they finally faced each other again, in 1989. They met at Cyclone Stadium in Ames, Iowa; the Iowa State football stadium is now known as Jack Trice Stadium. 

It has been 101 years since the Cyclones last defeated the Gophers. Minnesota leads the all-time series 22-2-1. They last met at the Metrodome in 1997; Minnesota won that contest by a score of 53-29.

On Dec. 31, the two teams will meet again. This time it is at the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. 

The game could be called the Jack Trice Bowl. 

This matchup figures to be much lower-scoring affair than the 1997 meeting. According to ESPN’s website, Iowa State currently has the 77th ranked offense in the FBS. Minnesota’s offense is 113th out of 120 teams. 

These two squads have a lot in common. 

Both bring a 6-6 record to Arizona. Each team has redshirt junior quarterbacks, who have yet to chalk up many wins. Neither team's head coach has won more than seven games in a season; Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads, is completing his first season, while Minnesota’s Tim Brewster is in his third year. Many feel Brewster’s job is in jeopardy at Minnesota.

This is Minnesota’s second consecutive season at the Insight Bowl. They have been there two of the last three years, losing both times.  Iowa State’s last bowl game was in 2005.  

While these Gophers have made a habit of losing during this time of year, they are planning to change those bad habits. But nobody knows how these Cyclone players will react in a December game.  

One thing is for sure: The Cyclones are going to play their hearts out for Jack Trice.

My recent articles that Minnesota sports fans will enjoy:

You Ask Why the Green Bay Packers Can't Win This Postseason?

Could Mike Shanahan to the Washington Redskins Affect Minnesota Gophers?

Jesse L. Medford's Facebook Fan Page, for instant access to new articles.

Saturday, Colorado travels to Ames, Iowa, to take on the 5-5 Iowa State Cyclones in hopes of posting back-to-back wins for the first time since opening the 2008 season at 3-0.

Seen as potentially being one of the Buffs’ best chances at a road victory back in August, Colorado needs to win out just to become bowl eligible.

For the Cyclones, the math is much easier—defeat Colorado, and earn a bowl bid for the first time since 2005.

Jack Trice Stadium holds up to 55,000. A crowd of 40,000 to 45,000 is expected.

Can the Buffs pull off their first road win in over two years?

Can Colorado make the trip to Stillwater next Thursday relevant?

Can the Buffs keep the Iowa State offense from regaining its early season form?

Let’s find out with this week’s “T.I.P.S."

T—Talent

For the first time since the Kansas State game, and perhaps for only the second time since the Wyoming game, Colorado will have the more talented squad on the field. Iowa State is 5-5, but has struggled since its non-conference wins over North Dakota State, Kent State, and Army.

One problem for the Buffs—Iowa State, after weeks of playing with walking wounded, is healthy.

Tailback Alexander Robinson had four 100-yard rushing games in the first six games of 2009.  He sat out against Nebraska and has been limited since, but is now back.

Starting center Reggie Stephens, who had been participating in one of every three plays, has recovered from a midseason appendectomy and is back to full time. 

And then there is QB Austen Arnaud…

The junior quarterback had a bruised hand that kept him out of games against Nebraska and Texas A&M, but Arnaud returned to play in the 34-8 loss to Oklahoma State last weekend.

Arnaud suffered three interceptions against the Cowboys, after throwing only five in the first seven games of the season. Despite the rocky first outing, Iowa State offensive coordinator Tom Herman is not concerned: “I feel a lot better about the state of the offense going into this week than last week,” said Herman. “This week, we’ll be the healthiest we’ve been since the Kansas game (Oct. 10th)”.

With Arnaud out, the Iowa State offense suffered. The past three games, Iowa State has scored nine, 10, and eight points.

Originally ranked 36th, their total offense has fallen to 69th in the nation, while scoring has fallen to 99th.

“We’ve got everyone back,” said tight end Derrick Catlett. “Now we have to start playing like we played in the beginning.” Arnaud, who is the top five all-time at Iowa State in passing yards, touchdown passes, completions, and total offense, is the all-time leader in Ames in completion percentage at .594 percent.

Colorado fans have to hope that the Iowa State offense will take at least one more week to gel.

As for the Iowa State defense, the name that you will hear most often on the radio (no television; Buff fans are relegated to KOA and the Internet) may be Jesse Smith.

The senior linebacker is sixth in tackles, averaging 11 per game (Jeff Smart leads the Buffs, averaging just short of eight tackles per game). In addition to his 110 tackles, Smith has two interceptions on the season and leads a defense that forced eight turnovers against Nebraska. They also held the Cornhuskers to seven points, preserving the Cyclones’ first win in Lincoln since 1977 and breaking a 15-game losing streak at Nebraska and a 14-game Big 12 losing streak on the road.

I—Intangibles

Got motivation?

The 35-34 come-from-behind win over Texas A&M kept alive the Buffs’ fleeting chances at a bowl bid and a winning season. The only way to avoid a fourth straight losing season is to win out, and that starts Saturday against Iowa State.

In a sense, Colorado is returning to the scene of the crime.

If 2009 proves to be the final season of the Dan Hawkins’ regime, then there are a number of games that could be considered the turning point. The true cynic would point to game one—a home loss to Division 1-AA Montana State. Others might point to the 59-yard field goal by Nebraska last November that cost Colorado a bowl game and a winning season. Still, others might single out the debacle at Toledo.

I would point to the last time Colorado ventured into Ames.

The scene: 2007, Colorado was 5-5 in Dan Hawkins’ second season in Boulder, and Iowa State was 2-8. The Buffs were a win away from securing a bowl bid the season after a 2-10 nightmare, while the Cyclones were going nowhere under first-year head coach Gene Chizik.

The Buffs, riding the momentum of three second-quarter scores, held a 21-0 halftime lead. On the first series of the third quarter, the Buffs drove into Cyclone territory.  A holding penalty on 3rd-and-1 was declined. Iowa State was all but daring Dan Hawkins and the Buffs to go for it on fourth down at the ISU 43-yard line.

The Buffs took the bait and failed.

Before anyone knew it, Iowa State scored 21 third-quarter points to tie the game, then took a 10-point lead late into the game. A touchdown pass by Cody Hawkins to Scotty McKnight pulled the Buffs to 31-28, with 2:40 to play.

Colorado then had not one, but two chances to tie the score late.

A 50-yard field goal by Kevin Eberhart was negated as Colorado long-snapper Justin Drescher was cited for snapping the ball too quickly. The subsequent 55-yard field goal by Eberhart was also good—and also didn’t count. This time, the officials ruled that the snap did not get off in time.

Game over. 31-28, Iowa State.

Now a senior, Justin Drescher has been a successful four-year starter at snapper and refers to the game as “the debacle in Ames.” The loss left Colorado with a 5-6 record on the 2007 season. The Buffs did respond with a win over Nebraska at home, and then fell to Alabama in the Independence Bowl to finish with a 6-7 record.

If Colorado had won the game against Iowa State, the Buffs would have finished the 2007 season with a winning record. The frustration that comes with three straight losing seasons, and a fourth looming, would be lessened if Colorado had finished 7-6.

The “debacle in Ames” may have cost Dan Hawkins a winning season—and more time.

A win in Ames in 2009 may help keep Dan Hawkins in Boulder for 2010.

P—Preparation & Schedule

This is a category that favors the Cyclones on all counts.

First, the game is going to be played in Ames. The Cyclones have won two straight at home in the series. Colorado has dropped three straight in the series only once before—1979, 1981, and 1983 (during the heart of the dreaded “Blue” phase). Overall, the home team has won the last five games in the series.

Second, next week’s schedule leads to another advantage for Iowa State. Colorado has to play next Thursday, again on the road, against No. 19 Oklahoma State. Iowa State will also be on the road, against Missouri.

While it can be argued that the players will not have to focus on next week until Sunday, they know what’s coming. Iowa State has not won at Missouri since 2001, and if the Cyclones fall to the Buffs, they would have to pull off an upset in Columbia just to become bowl eligible. Colorado is Iowa State’s best chance to go bowling.

Colorado, meanwhile, continues to wear the yoke of a road losing streak. With Oklahoma State appearing to be a loss, the Buffs are faced with the proposition of winning in Ames, or hearing all offseason about their ongoing losing streak. It doesn’t look good for 2010.

The Buffs’ next road games are against Cal, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska—all of which have spent time in the nation’s top 25 this season.

The math is simple: win in Ames or Colorado faces the very real possibility of not being favored to win a game on the road until opening the 2011 season...against Hawaii.

S—Statistics

The Buffs put together one of their better offensive efforts of the season last weekend against Texas A&M, with 437 total yards. Did it help move Colorado out from underneath the dreaded 100’s in the national rankings?

Nope.

Nine games into the season and moving up the charts becomes a little like trying to get an oil tanker to pull a 180. Colorado remains mired in the 100’s nationally in seven categories. The Buffs are even getting close to absolute bottom—No. 120—in sacks allowed. The Buffs, having given up 16 sacks in the past two games, are now giving up an average of four per game, good enough for a No. 118 ranking.

The punt return team, at No. 117, isn't much better.

With good numbers against Texas A&M, the Buffs did make marginal improvements in rushing offense (113th, up from 114th), and total offense (111th, up from 113th), but mediocrity is now a hope for next season.

Overall, Colorado is in the top half of the nation in only three categories, and they are marginal ones at that—kickoff returns, sacks, and tackles for loss.

For a change, the Buffs are playing a team that is also struggling to make the grade.

Iowa State is in the 100’s in four categories, with the Cyclones in the 90's in four others. While Iowa State is still ranked high in running the ball (29th overall), the Cyclones are 100th in passing. On the heels of games with nine, 10, and eight points, it is not surprising that Iowa State is down to 99th in scoring offense.

The Iowa State defense is also not faring well, with teams equally successful against the Cyclones in both phases. Iowa State is 81st in pass defense, 93rd in rushing defense, and 94th in total defense.

However, teams haven't been scoring against them. Iowa State is only giving up 22.7 points per game, ranked 48th nationally.

Looking for stats to keep an eye on?

A good barometer of the Colorado offense is how many sacks they allow. As everyone knows, Colorado gave up eight sacks to Missouri, then eight more to Texas A&M.

If the Buffs give up eight against Iowa State, it will likely spell disaster.

On the season, the Cyclones have registered 12 sacks total. This gives them an average of 1.2 sacks/game and as a result they are 107th in the nation.

The reverse is true when it comes to keeping an eye on the Buffs’ punt returns. As noted, Colorado is 117th in the nation in punt returns, netting a paltry 3.04 yards per return.

Iowa State, meanwhile, is leading the nation in punt return defense, giving up only 1.55 yards per return. It would be nice to see some three-and-outs from the Colorado defense, giving the Buffs a chance to improve on their low ranking.

Finally, last weekend against Texas A&M, Colorado held onto the ball for 35:20. Last weekend against Oklahoma State, Iowa State allowed the Cowboys to hold onto the ball for 39:38. Time of possession could play a critical role on Saturday.

The stats don’t lie.  Colorado has to hang onto the ball, produce long drives, and thus keep the ball away from a potentially strong Iowa State offense.

A 21-0 halftime lead, as the Buffs had in 2007, would be a nice start.

Iowa State won its first two games of 2008, then proceeded to lose its last 10.

The 2008 team joined those from 1994 and 2003 as the only squads in school history to have a 10-game losing streak in a single season.

With a 5-5 record to date in 2009, Iowa State has accumulated seven wins since the start of the 2008 season. They are the only school in the Big 12 with fewer victories than Colorado (eight) over the past two seasons.

Despite the fact that Iowa State has a long history of coaches leaving with losing records, Gene Chizik gets the “Bottom of the Barrel” award, departing for Auburn with a .208 winning percentage (5-19).

Chizik was also the first coach in 50 years to not last at least four seasons in Ames.

As hard as it may be to believe, Iowa State has won seven of the past 12 games in the Cy-Hawk Trophy rivalry game against Iowa.

The Colorado Buffs have dominated their rivalry with the Cyclones more than they have against any other Big 12 rival. CU leads the all-time series, 48-14-1, including a run of 16 consecutive wins between 1985 and 2000, which ranks 21st on the all-time list of consecutive wins over an opponent.

However, the Buffs have lost in their last two trips to Ames for the first time in the series since losing three in a row in 1979, ‘81, and ‘83.

Like Miami (Ohio), the Cyclones are not known as the “cradle of coaches," but more like the “weigh station." A number of famous names have spent a short time in Ames before moving on, starting with Glenn “Pop” Warner, who came to Iowa State in 1895, until Georgia offered more money.

Other head coaches who went on to bigger and better results include Johnny Majors (four years at Ames) and Earle Bruce (six seasons). Assistants with ties to the Cyclones include Mack Brown, Pete Carroll, Jimmy Johnson, and Jackie Sherill.

In his 12 years at Ames (1995-2006), Dan McCarney's success hinged on his taking Iowa State to five of the nine bowl games the Cyclones have ever played.

Still, McCarney’s overall record of 56-85 is indicative of how hard it is to win in Ames.

Earl Bruce, with a 36-32 record (1973-78), is the only coach to leave ISU with a winning record since World War II.

How to dress up a Cyclone mascot: that was the Iowa State dilemma. Unable to come up with a suitable mascot, ISU reverted to the original team nickname in 1954 and dressed a Cardinal on the sidelines, nicknaming the bird “Cy.”

The only conference championships won by Iowa State came in 1911 and 1912, when the Cyclones won the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles.

In those seasons, ISU posted wins over such luminaries as Coe, Grinnell, Simpson, and Cornell College.

To be fair, the Cyclones were a decent kicker away from winning the Big 12 North in 2004 and 2005, when they lost both of their final regular season games in overtime because of missed field goals. The benefactor of the Cyclones’ dismay on both occasions: Colorado.

With a lack of success in its history, it is not surprising that there are few famous former players. Iowa State has produced only three consensus All-Americans (CU has had 25), and only one first-round NFL draft pick (CU has had 22).

On both short lists for ISU is running back Troy Davis, who is the only player in Division I-A to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season twice (1995 and 1996).

Others: Matt Blair, Keith Sims, and Mike Stensrud.

Other famous alumni outside of football: George Washington Carver (inventor), Henry A. Wallace (U.S. Vice-President).

As college football fans, it's easy to lock on to the big stories, our favorite teams, and the latest conspiracy theories in our favorite sport.

These are three really big reasons why I love the game.

With that said, as fans of the sport, we do ourselves a great disservice by not widening our veiwership to soak up some these great performances that are just slightly off the radar.

This weeks Hidden Hero just happens to be the Big 12's leading rusher and has helped his Iowa State to a 4-3 record.

Four wins not that great? Let's remember this team only won 5 games the last two seasons.

Robinson has done his damage early and often this year, eclipsing his 2008 totals just seven games into the season.

                                       

                                                     Alexander Robinson

                                       ATT.       YDS      AVG     LNG     TD

2008                           153       703       4.6      67        6

2009                           130       737       5.7      68        6

As the stats indicate, Robinson has improve in every statistical category.

Equally impressive is the fact that he continues to produce after sustaining a groin injury against Army on September 26th, a game in which he rushed for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The team has reported that Robinson has sat out a lot of practices to be able to go, and this will be the continued approach to keep him healthy enough to play. If you've ever had a groin ingury, then you realize the toughness our Hidden Hero has shown thus far.

So we've got production, toughness, 10th nationally in rushing yards, first in the Big 12, and throw in the fact that this guy is a real home run threat, and you've got the complete package. This guy will bear watching as the season rolls along.

Let's tune in this saturday for an 11:30 kick on FSN, as Iowa State tries to defeat Nebraska for the first time since 1977. If that does happen, there's no doubt Robinson will be a big part.

Kent State (1-1) vs Iowa State (1-1)

Line: Kent State +3

Kent State comes off a difficult game against Boston College in which they lost 34-7 and looked bad doing it. The Golden Flashes looked lost on offense and racked up just 179 total yards.

The passing game has been bad and the run game, while averaging over 100 yards per game, is limping along at 2.9 yards per carry. Giorgio Morgan and Spencer Keith have both spent time under center with no real positive results obtained.

After shutting out Coastal Carolina in their week one win, Kent State gave up 34 points and 349 total yards to the Eagles in week two.

Iowa State hits the road for the first time this weekend and that is usually not a good thing for the Cyclones who have lost 17 straight as the visiting team. After defeating North Dakota State in the opener, Iowa State looked lost last week against rival Iowa. 

Iowa came into the game struggling to run the ball but left with 191 rushing yards in the game which was won by Iowa 35-3. Austen Amaud completed just 10 out of 22 passes for a miserable 79 yards.  The ball wasn't always hitting the ground as the Hawkeyes managed to intercept four of those passes.

Both teams are 0-1 against the spread. Both teams have offenses that have been less than stellar and we know quarterback play has been an issue for both teams so far this season. 

The big issue for me though is Iowa State's inability to stop the run.  Kent State is not a great run team (2.9 yards per carry) but they keep at it.  They will still run the ball 35 times a game, and against ISU, that may be effective.

There is no reason right now to believe ISU will be able to tighten up enough that the run game will be ineffective for KSU. This pick is more about what ISU can't do, verses what Kent State can to, but it thankfully leads me to a home dog.

Dave's Pick: Kent State +3

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It's hard for me to be objective this week, HOWEVER:

Iowa's offense
Good lord was that bad. Running game is non-existent. I really don't expect to see it much better against ISU. BUT, Tony Moeaki more than made up for the lack of rushing adding 10 catches for 83 yards. ISU's LB can't run with him. What to expect? ISU puts a nickelback on Moeaki instead of a LB, look for ISU to run a 4-2-5 defense. ISU won't stop the Iowa machine, hopefully it can slow it down just enough for this......

ISU's offense
ISU's receivers have a distinct advantage against a CB and Safety that UNI exploited for 2 big gainers last weekend....ISU has 4 WR that are ready to go, I just don't see that Iowa has an answer to that. Sure they have Spivey (sp?), so AA won't throw to that side, but with Marquis Hamilton, Sederick Johnson , Darius Reynolds and a supposedly healthy Darius Darks, should be able to run all over the Iowa secondary. Iowa will use it's front 6-7 to disrupt AA's timing and comfort in the pocket. However, as I said last week, ISU ran more than I expected so I look to ISU to mix in that halfback option enough to keep the d line honest. I think ISU has more tools on Offense.

Special teams
As Steve Deace said this morning, if Dan McCarney had the special teams that this team has, he'd still be coach. Grant Mahoney solidly hit a 50 yd field goal in 0 wind. Leonard Johnson is such a threat people kick away from him, but David Sims still runs it back to the 40. Advantage ISU. Iowa has a 'pro-style' punter, which will help them in field position, but ISU used several long drives against NDSU to march the distance.

Intangibles
It's in Ames, before a theoretically sold out crowd, and Iowa returned some of their ticket allotment for the game, so more ISU fans got tix. ISU is VERY tired of being little brother and UNI showed that Iowa is not world beaters. That is good for both teams, but I think it helps the young and impressionable ISU team more than Iowa. Gameday weather is going to either be rainy or extremely humid. Iowa obviously tired in the second half against UNI. ISU will run 10-15 more plays than UNI did, making conditioning a bigger issue. If it's wet or humid, I give advantage to ISU's offense vs. Iowa's D.

I honestly look for a 34-27 score type game, and ISU winning.

For Iowa to win, they have to come out and hang something on the board early and stop ISU's early drives. A young team will cannibalize itself, if it feels stagnation. If Iowa lets ISU keep it close (or if ISU runs away out of the gate), ISU will win this game. All that ISU needs is a chance to win in the second half. I don't look for this ISU squad to be a come from 21 down to win kind of team.

How's that?

This summer, the National Football Post is breaking down every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A) to identify players who might warrant interest from NFL teams in the 2010 draft.

The Iowa State Cyclones have combined for only two wins in the Big 12 the past two seasons and again look short on NFL-caliber talent.

Offense

Derrick Catlett: No. 84, FB/TE, 6'4", 252

Has a big, well-built frame and displays some natural pop on contact. However, he struggles using his hands and doesn’t stay on blocks when attacking downhill. But does a nice job when asked to reach the perimeter and seal opposing defenders from the play. Exhibits some natural coordination in space and has the ability to anchor into his stance in pass protection. Showcases a good feel for the pass game and does a nice job chipping at the line and releasing underneath. Isn’t a great athlete and struggles separating in man coverage.

Impression: Has some power as a lead blocker, but struggles staying on defenders when attacking downhill.

Collin Franklin: No. 88, TE, 6'6", 248

A big target who possesses the body type to add even more weight to his frame and not lose any athleticism. Does a nice job extending his long arms on contact, but lacks the power in his lower half to handle defenders in the run game. Is a savvy receiver who knows how to sell himself as a blocker and slip down the field in the pass game. Possesses good ball skills and has the ability to go up and attack the football at its highest point. Isn’t real explosive and lumbers as a route runner in the open field. Will struggle separating from man coverage at the next level, but understands where to sit down in zone coverage and gets north/south quickly after the catch.

Impression: A developing TE prospect with a nice-sized frame, but needs to become a more physical blocker to have any chance at the next level.

Reggie Stephens: No. 73, OG, 6'3", 338

A thickly built lineman who displays good flexibility in his stance and a wide base. Lacks lateral quickness in pass protection and looks top-heavy when asked to move in space. Struggles sliding his feet on contact and doesn’t possess the footwork or length to remain on blocks. Has a tendency to overextend when trying to reach targets away from his frame and consistently loses his balance in all areas of the game. Displays a good base and does a nice job anchoring at the point of attack. Sits into his stance well and exhibits natural leverage on contact.

Showcases a strong initial jolt at the point of attack in the run game and has the ability to turn defenders away from the play. However, he doesn’t demonstrate the kind of power his frame would indicate and struggles simply driving opposing linemen off the ball. Isn’t much of a Velco player and consistently allows defenders to free themselves after his initial surge.

Impression: A powerful looking lineman, but isn’t as physical as his frame would indicate and struggles with his lateral mobility in the pass game.

Marquis Hamilton: No. 82, WR, 6'4", 228

A king-sized wideout who’s heavy footed out of his stance and struggles getting off the line and into his routes. However, he builds up speed as he goes, and the farther he gets down the field the tougher he is to cover. Isn’t quick or sudden out of his breaks, but does a nice job selling his routes and gaining a step on corners. Isn’t afraid to work the middle of the field and does a nice job driving on the safety and settling down underneath.

Lets the ball get into his body too much and doesn’t do a good job extending his long arms and plucking the ball away from his frame. Lacks the necessary body control to explode out of his breaks at full speed and is consistently forced to chop his feet and gather himself before trying to change directions.

Impression: A big, long-armed target who lacks the burst and body control to gain separation at the next level.

Defense

Jesse Smith: No. 54, ILB, 6'0, 232

Looks stiff when asked to slide laterally and lacks burst attacking downhill at the line of scrimmage. Showcases good instincts and does nice job finding the ball between the tackles and attacking the proper run lane. However, he struggles breaking down in the hole and is easily washed out of plays. Needs to do a better job lowering his pad level on contact and playing with a stronger base when trying to slip and/or shed blocks.

Reads and reacts quickly to plays and consistently gets a good jump on the football.
But lacks range in all areas of his game and struggles making plays on the perimeter.

Impression: A stiff, limited linebacker who doesn’t possess the power between the tackles to make up for his lack of athleticism.

Fred Garrin: No. 43, OLB, 6'2", 232

Displays questionable instincts at the line of scrimmage as he is slow to locate the ball and decipher play fakes. Is consistently playing from behind in the pass game and lacks coordination in his back-pedal. Has a tendency to turn his back to the play when asked to drop off into zone coverage and struggles redirecting toward the ball. Lacks awareness making his way through traffic and struggles keeping himself clean. Works hard fighting through blocks, but struggles breaking down and making the tackle when met with any kind of resistance by an opposing lineman.

Impression: Lacks instincts and doesn’t make many plays on the ball. Isn’t an NFL-ready defender.

James Smith: No. 2, FS, 5'9", 191

An undersized safety who acts as the eraser in the deep half of the field for the Cyclones’ defense. Does a nice job angling ball carriers toward the sideline and taking proper angles to the ball. Showcases good footwork and balance out of his breaks and is very difficult to gain separation from in man coverage. Gets up to speed quickly and has the range to play sideline to sideline. Is fluid in space and does a nice job being patient in his drop and flipping his hips when asked to run down the field.

Attacks the line of scrimmage, but exhibits good body control and has the ability to break down on contact and wrap up in space. However, he will bite on play fakes and take himself out of position in the pass game. Plays a bit careless at times and needs to demonstrate more awareness, especially when asked to play in the center-field type of role.

Impression: An interesting safety prospect who’s vastly underrated due to the lack of talent around him. But I think he has the tools to find a role in the NFL.

Be sure to check out the rest of my team breakdowns at Nationalfootballpost.com.

A number of articles (including Bleacher Report) lately have pegged NDSU and ISU as a game to watch in week 1 of the coming NCAA season.  What you'll find below is exactly why this game should and will be a "non-event".

1) It comes down to who will have the biggest chip on their shoulder. ISU players have been abandoned on by the last staff. They weren't given the chance to play to their potential and they know it. CPR will be at the helm for the first time ever. Tom Herman will want to prove that last season at Rice wasn't a fluke and that he can coach and win against the big boys. Wally is going to want to prove that he can take the challenge and succeed at taking ISU's sub-par defense and turn it into what it was earlier this decade. Our guys come out and roll NDSU.

2) Offense:  ISU produced a nationally ranked 42nd offense last season with 4 games of QB's splitting time.  That is nothing to shrug off nor anything the Bison have yet to see.  The Bison lost their "star" safety from last year, and 5 players to some form of suspension and arrest so far this year.  ISU OC Herman better go 5 wide, all on some form of corner, post or streak routes early, and tire their dbacks. ISU has way more depth, and can turn it into a foot race, every down.

3) Defense: Wally Burnham.  Have you heard of South Florida?  It's because of his defenses that that school was put on the map.

4) Special teams: Leonard Johnson.  That boy can run.  Pair him with incoming Darius Reynolds, and you will not catch these guys if they get a few blocks as was seen in last year's Oklahoma State game

5) Head Coach Paul Rhoads.  Everything is on the line in his first performance.  Ask any that have heard him speak, he's a wonderful motivational speaker.  Most ISU fans want to suit up for this guy.  He's been in Ames before, on VERY successful bowl teams. He knows what it takes to win at ISU and knows he cannot overlook or even come out flat against NDSU

I'll be in the stands September 3rd, but I won't be holding my breath, I'll be screaming along with 40 thousand of my closest friends.  Another thing NDSU has no experience with.

After losing Gene Chizik to Auburn, Iowa State fell completely out of the news for the rest of the off-season but they made plenty of great moves after Chizik left.

Paul Rhoads was hired as the coach. In a state and college that is as tradition poor as football at Iowa State finding someone with ties to the state, fan base and/or school is extremely important and Rhoads, a native Iowan, knows exactly what to expect at Iowa State. He is both an Iowa native and was an assistant coach for the Cyclones for the first four years of the Dan McCarney era at Iowa State.

Rhoads was instrumental to the recarnation of Pitt Football after he left Iowa State in 1999 to become the defensive coordinator for the Panthers. Rhoads did a masterful job with the Pitt defense and it was definitely the defense under Rhoads that made Pitt a perennial championship contender in the Big East.

In 2002, Rhoads was actually offered the Defensive Coordinator job at Auburn by Tommy Tuberville but turned it down and it eventually went to Chizik. Rhoads was offered the job once more at the end of the 2007 season when Will Muschamp left Auburn for Texas.

This time he accepted and lead a strong defensive effort for the Auburn Tigers which ranked 27 nationally. This was despite getting almost zero help from the offense which seemingly was more likely to go three and out than get a first down.   

Rhoads has also brought in two really impressive coordinators and recruiters from two talent rich states, Texas and Florida. Wally Burnham will be the new defensive coordinator. Burnham, has plenty of coaching experience, he spent time at South Carolina as the defensive coordinator and under Bobby Bowden at Florida State where he helped the team win a national championship in 1993.

He has been at USF since 2000 were he has helped build a team that did not even exist in 1997 to a division one bowl subdivision contender. He has coached many linebackers that made to the NFL and is a great recruiter who will recruit Florida extremely well even at Iowa State who got six Florida commits this year.

What Burnham brings in experience, the new offensive coordinator, Tom Herman, brings in excitement. Herman installed a spread offense at Rice in 2007 and in 2008 he helped the Owls to a 10-win season and a first bowl win since 1954.

Under Herman, the offense broke more than 50 school records and was ranked a top ten offense in passing, scoring and total offense in 2008. Herman is still young and could be one of the hottest young names for a head coach position if he can repeat his success at Iowa State.

The Cyclones return an extremely talented quarterback in Austen Arnaud and good receiving and running back corps. They also return three starting offensive lineman. Offensively the biggest challenge will be learning Herman's spread, it will require the quarterbacks and receivers to be on the same page through the reads and progressions and may take two full years to be completely understood by the players.

Arnaud threw for nearly three-thousand yards last season but his TD to INT ratio was lackluster at 15 TDs to 10 INTs. Look for the numbers to go up as this spread will lead to quicker and more high-percentage passes which should mean more yards, TDs and a better TD-INT ratio.

The Cyclones have three good running backs lead by junior Alexander Robinson. Bo Williams will also be eligible after setting out a year after transferring from Florida and the trio will be rounded out by freshmen Jerwmiah Schwartz.

Robinson is expected to have a big year after leading the team in rushing and averaging 4.6 yards a carry as a sophomore last year. Robinson is also a great receiving RB so look for him to get plenty of yards one way or another. Arnaud is an extremely mobile QB and expect at least 500 yards rushing from him this year as well.

The receiving corp is deep and talented but the receiver most worth mentioning is Darius Darks, who was just one catch shy of 50 last year as a freshman and will be the primary receiving option this year. Herman has a history of getting tight ends involved in the passing game and the Cyclones have plenty of big boys at that position that will make great short yardage targets for the QBs.

The offensive line is as veteran as it has been in a while. They return all three interior lineman but have to replace both bookends which could mean problems in the new spread. Look for Iowa State to increase their splits on passing formations to increase the distance for ends to get to the QB and RBs using block and release routes to give the QB more options. Plus, in spread offenses, you normally do not have to hold blocks as long that should help the new tackles get used to life in the Big 12.

The defense is a much bigger concern for the Cyclones, it was a glaring weakness of the team last year, especially the backfield.

The defensive line will be good if it can stay away from injury. Depth is not a strength of the defensive line for the cyclones but they do have two lineman that will spend some time in the opponent's backfields in Nate Frier and Christopher Lyle. Rashawn Parker will need to have a big year for Iowa State.

The linebacker are not deep either but they do get help by adding a Junior College All- American Matt Taufoou. Senior Jesse Smith had 84 tackles last year and Fred Garrin, also a senior, started last year as well. lack of speed was a big problem last year and looks to remain a problem this year as well.

It is hard to know where to start with the Defensive backfield because last year's performance was not strong but they should improve this year with lead tackler FS James Smith returning and the addition of SS David Sims, a former Oklahoma Sooner's  recruit. While we should definitely see an improvement in the safety positions both cornerbacks will need to be replaced and they have little experience to do so.

A bright spot will be the kicking game. Iowa State returns a great punter and a great kicker. The punter, sr. Mike Brandtner averaged 41.6 yards a punt despite pinning a team inside the twenty ninteen times.

The place kicker, Grant Mahoney, went 17-25 as a freshman last year.

The primary kick returner, Leonard Johnson, is extremely dangerous. Just ask Oklahoma State. He broke the FBS record for most return yards in a single game against them last year with 319 yards gained on returns. Expect him to be even more dangerous this year, as a sophomore, his reads and vision should be quicker and will probably be used on punt returns as well.

The Verdict

This is the most exciting off season the Cyclones have had in a long time, they have three proven leaders on their staff and the offensive firepower in place to start scoring in bunches quickly but the defense will not provide enough stops to make a difference this year. The ten game losing streak in the Big 12 will stop this year with Iowa State getting the easy Big 12 south schedule not having to play OU or Texas. If Iowa State can keep this coaching staff in tact this could be the start of something special in Ames.

Predictions:

Overall 4-8

Big 12: 1-7

Sixth in the Big 12 North Division 

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The year was 1996. The Florida Gators were celebrating a national championship season and their Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Danny Wuerffel.

Meanwhile, back in Ames, there, too, was a celebration.

Junior running back Troy Davis had just finished the most prolific Cyclone football career in the history of the program.

During Davis’ junior season, he set new school records in almost every category, including most rushing yards in a career, most rushing yards in a single season, and most rushing touchdowns in a career, easily making him one of the most decorated and celebrated Cyclone football players of all time.

Davis also left his mark in the NCAA record books too. Davis achieved a feat his junior season that legendary running backs such as Herschel Walker, Archie Griffin, and even Barry Sanders did not—rushing for 2,000 yards or more in consecutive seasons.

Before Davis, rushing for 2,000 yards in one season seemed unlikely, much less in consecutive seasons.

It is clear Davis left his mark on both Iowa State football history, as well as NCAA football history. Davis, however, did more for Iowa State than just shake up the record books a little.

During Davis’ sophomore year, he was invited out to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation—not as a spectator, but as a Heisman finalist. Davis ended fifth in the Heisman voting that year as Eddie George of Ohio State took home the prize.

However, 1996 was a different year. Davis had a year of experience in head football coach Dan McCarney’s system that had given Davis the success in the previous year. He also had one thing that very few returning college football players had; Heisman continuity.

Davis had an immediate in with the Heisman committee because he had been to New York before, showing his high caliber performance ability.

The 1996 season went even better than Davis’ sophomore season and he was invited to New York once again—this time, he thought the trophy was his.

Davis’ mother had planned out the exact spot to place the trophy in their home in Miami, and Davis thought that after coming to New York as a sophomore rushing for over 2,000 yards and then doing it again as a junior, he was a shoe-in.

Davis was wrong as Wuerffel stole the trophy by just under 200 votes. Davis won three of the Heisman voting regions, however Wuerffel won the South, and he won big.

Davis traveled back to Ames without the Heisman Trophy, however, what that did for Iowa State football and Iowa State sports in general is monumental.

Davis’ runner up Heisman Trophy finish put Iowa State on the Division I football map. After Davis’ season, the Cyclones football program started rising with the culmination of the Insight.com Bowl victory in 2000.

Troy Davis will be forever remembered in Cyclone country as one of the most decorated football players in school history, and fans and coaches will never forget what Davis started at Iowa State — a tradition.

Davis went on to play three seasons in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, and then eight seasons in the Canadian Football League. He helped lead Edmonton to the 2005 Grey Cup Championship.

Note: This article will also appear in the Iowa State Daily as part of the 12 Most Memorable Moments in Cyclone Sports History.