Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Dan McCarney produced an extensive list of achievements as coach at Iowa State. McCarney was the longest-tenured coach in the Big 12, spending 12 years with the Cyclones. He led Iowa State to its first bowl game and got Iowa State to as high as No. 9 in the national polls.
But for the first time since 1994, the Cyclones will have a new face on the sidelines. Defensive guru Gene Chizik takes control of the program with aspirations to mold it into a team similar to the undefeated Auburn and Texas teams he worked for as a defensive coordinator earlier this decade.
Record: 4-8 Overall, 1-7 Big 12
Bowl Game: Not bowl eligible
Points Per Game: 18.8
Opponents’ Points Per Game: 30.8
OFFENSE
Senior quarterback Bret Meyer has been a consistent three-year starter for the Cyclones. Meyer is already Iowa State’s career passing leader and has just fewer than 8,000 all-purpose yards since his freshman year in 2004.
Meyer has two proven targets to throw to. Senior Todd Blythe is 6-foot-5 and is known for being one of the Big 12’s most physical receivers, with hands as trustworthy as super glue.
Junior R.J. Sumrall is the faster receiver and has football in his genes. Indianapolis Colts All-Pro wide receiver Reggie Wayne is Sumrall’s cousin.
The running game may not be as reliable for the Cyclones. Junior Jason Scales has talent, but injuries have all but ruined his collegiate career thus far. Junior college phenom J.J. Bass is expected to start in part because of Scale’s injuries.
Bass isn’t the only junior college transfer the Cyclones will depend on in 2007. Iowa State loses all but one starter from last year’s offensive line. Junior college guard Lee Tibbs and tackle Doug Dedrick must contribute immediately in order for the line to be at its full strength.
DEFENSE
The offensive line’s predicament is a lot like the situation on the defensive line. The Cyclones lose their top two defensive linemen but hope to minimize the damage with junior college transfers.
Junior Michael Tate and sophomore Christopher Lyle, who both played in junior college last year, will be a part of the rotation although they may not start.
Senior linebacker Alvin Bowen is an All-Big 12 performer. Bowen also is the leading returning tackler in the nation, with 12.9 per game last season.
Senior Jon Banks had 99 tackles last season and will start alongside Bowen. Senior strong safety Caleb Berg is a headhunter over the middle and is the leader of a questionable secondary.
The Cyclones hope quantity is better than quality with their defensive backs. Defensive coordinator Wayne Bolt said they would rely on a number of different players, and mostly all of the starting jobs were up for grabs in the secondary.
SEASON OUTLOOK
The Cyclones have an excellent chance to start the season 4-0 against their nonconference opponents. Their only tough nonconference game is against Iowa, but it is in Iowa State’s home of Ames, Iowa, this season, giving Iowa State an advantage.
The Big 12 schedule should be much more difficult for the Cyclones. Texas and Oklahoma both travel to Ames in October. Iowa State also has to play at Missouri and Nebraska.
Chizik is one of the nation’s up-and-coming coaches. A lack of talented players in the trenches on both sides of the ball, however, makes it unlikely that he will be able to engineer more than an upset or two in his first season.
PREDICTION
5-7, not bowl eligible
— Edited by Matt Erickson
Second-half conference play promises thrills
Kansas’ Big 12 matches for next season promise to offer thrills, and ...
Bern: Another disappointing season ahead for Iowa ...
Despite an optimistic attitude, coach Gene Chizik faces several obstacles in bringing ...
Iowa State coach certain Cyclones will be ...
Tigers shoot for North Division Title
Missouri started 6-0 last season but dropped five of their next seven ...
Football Sider: November 19, 2007
KU versus Iowa State Football
Cyclones storm into big game
Two weeks ago, the Kansas football team probably would have been looking ...
Big 12 North Breakdown
A preview of the Big 12 North
Game Day: Oct. 4, 2008
Get ready for the game against Iowa State.
Cyclones reflect, prepare to face Jayhawks
Iowa State coach Gene Chizik assesses the team’s performance so far in ...
Kansas wins 35-33
The Jayhawks faced a 20-point halftime deficit, but Todd Reesing threw three ...
Who’s the best in Texas?
If Michigan beats Wisconsin Saturday, the Wolverines would be undefeated in the ...
Jayhawks comeback after a scoreless first half
Iowa State loses to Kansas in the second half in a close ...
Kansas shouldn’t overlook Iowa State’s struggles
After a two-week break, Kansas will play its first conference football game ...
Big 12 North football previews
Big 12 North football previews for Nebraska, Iowa State, Colorado, Missouri and ...
Iowa State Gameday
Take a glimpse at Iowa State football, Kansas' opponent this weekend.
Jayhawks hope to repeat 2005
Two years ago Kansas beat Iowa State 24-21. The team hopes to ...
OK-State Cowboys quietly coming back
Here are some games from around the country that warrant watching this ...
Breckunitch: Football season will be good
Spring game invites speculation about the Jayhawk football’s chances for Big 12 ...
Keefer: Colorado hopes experience leads to victories
In its first season under head coach Dan Hawkins last year, Colorado ...
Big 12 Media Day: Overview of Big ...
See how next Football seasons looks before it starts.
Oklahoma's quarterback is quarterback no longer
Big 12 boasts three of nation’s best
In recent years, Texas and Oklahoma were the only consistent representatives for ...
Football has last chance for North title
Even with Jayhawks carrying a three-game losing streak into Saturday’s game, they ...
11-0
Kansas sent Iowa State home with a 45-7 defeat. The Jayhawks will ...
Sooners look to repeat Big 12 title
Oklahoma’s only weakness appears to be a lack of experience at quarterback. ...
Conference offers no clear favorites
Rising coaching salaries leave Mangino behind
What these high-dollar salaries do to universities and student-athletes is interpreted differently ...
Conference play begins this weekend
Familiar foes turn attention to each other as ranked teams face unranked ...
Oklahoma State brings talented offense
Led by star receiver Adarius Bowman, Oklahoma State’s offense will explode again ...
Big 12 coaches weigh in on Border ...
Coaches from the Big 12 conference had plenty to say about the ...
Bowls put Big 12 rep on the ...
The Big 12 should have an easy ride, but one upset could ...
Tough schedule may slow K-State football team
With a rough non-conference schedule on top of road games against Texas, ...
Big 12 soccer power rankings
Kansas sits at fourth on the Big 12 Power Rankings in women's ...
Beecher: Use perspective when calling for Bowen’s ...
The defensive coordinator is in his first year and missing star players ...
Football Notes: November 19, 2007
Here's what's going on in college football
Texas Tech looks to line for protection
Returning only one starter to the line, the Red Raiders may see ...
Co-defensive coordinator fills Bill Young’s shoes
Kansas coach Mark Mangino shows his support for Bowen’s takeover of the ...
Matson: Iowa State won’t be an easy ...
The Cyclones are earning a spot at the top of the Big ...
Stanford’s shocker leads wave of upsets
No. 2 USC lost to surprising Stanford in perhaps the biggest upset ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID