SB Nation - Deon Broomfield

Post Week 2 Rants/Observations

KnowDan — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:00:32 -0000

This is likely not to be a regular column but one that is only presented when I feel there was something worth noting from the prior week(s)' performance; whether it be good or bad.

So let's start with this question: is it too early to start wondering what Courtney Messingham is doing?

Before you immediately answer that we need to start reading a little bit between the lines to discuss what the offense is doing well, what it's not doing well, and what it's doing terribly. It's hard to criticize an offense that racked up 441 yards of total offense against Tulsa and 342 against Iowa in Kinnick Stadium. At this point the only real argument that I have is that this team lacks something that the early 2011-12 men's basketball team did: a killer instinct.

In both games this season the offense has shown an innate ability to allow other teams to hang around as the game wears on. The 3rd quarter of the Tulsa game was used to establish the run but when Tulsa scored early in the 4th quarter we were just begging for that play that would seal the deal. Instead we got two punts from midfield and the icing touchdown that was set up by Deon Broomfield's interception return inside the Tulsa 10.

Again on Saturday it appeared this team should be blowing the doors off Kinnick Stadium but the result was three three and outs in seven drives in the 2nd half. Two other drives resulted in turnovers in the red zone and the other two were punts from around midfield. Naturally it can't be expected to come away with points on every drive, so let's just focus on the two drives where we should have had points but gave the ball away instead.

Our offense made it so easy for Iowa to cheat inside the 10-yard line that it allowed for the three turnovers to happen in the first place. The play calling was conservative (rush, rush, pass nearly every time), lacked creativity (most runs inside the 10 were read plays), and all together incredibly predictable. The two fumbles can be directly attributed to Iowa cheating on the run and being in the backfield almost immediately after the hand-off. Even Shontrelle's fumble can be attributed to being pressured immediately and strung out to the sidelines. Jantz's 4th quarter interception was all too easy for Iowa. After shutting down the run the first two plays they knew a 3rd down pass would be coming and linebacker James Morris sat underneath and watched Jantz's read the whole way.

This isn't all on the play calling though. There was more than one play where James White took a hand-off designed to go between the center and guard and tried to take it off tackle. Even Chuck Long called him out on a hand-off inside the 10 that he had a window for a few yards, ignored it, and lost two yards going off tackle. White fumbled on the very next play.

So where do we go from here? It's easy to sit here on Monday morning and pick on something like the play calling but when a fundamental piece of the equation is missing I think it doesn't take Bear Bryant to comment on it. That fundamental piece: the play action pass. It existed between the 20s and sometimes resulted in beautiful plays like Jantz's pass to Aaron Horne on the sidelines. With Iowa committing seven, sometimes eight, to to stop the run in the red zone it was imperative to make them pay with a little play action. Especially to a match up problem type of guy like Ernst Brun. But we never saw it.

Let's be fair to Messingham though. This early in the year I feel he is an upgrade over Tom Herman largely because of how efficient the offense has looked at times and how Jantz has developed over the off season. Both games I felt that Messingham had a solid game plan and made adjustments where necessary. The route running and routes in general have clearly improved under receivers coach Todd Sturdy. The offensive line bought Jantz so much time in the first half on Saturday that had one of those deep passes hit this game would have been a blow out. I felt the play calling between the 20s on Saturday was good most of the game and even great on certain drives. Even the conservative, McCarney-ball type of rushing in the 4th quarter isn't enough to make me take away from how this team came out on the first drive and moved the ball down field while taking intelligent strikes while in one-on-one coverage.

I still have concerns with how this offense will fare against Big XII competition but at this point the offense needs to perfect the little things in certain parts of their process and with the bye week looming there will be no better time to reevaluate and fix.

All this hand wringing about the offense, so what about the defense? No news is good news here. The defense once again looked like it could be a bear in some games this season. Jake McDonough looks like he could be a force in the middle and the defensive line rotation is again paying dividends late in the game. Iowa did a good job with screen passes and getting the ball away quickly, but Wally and company adjusted to take away the former. Credit to Greg Davis for the short, quick passes on the final drive to help keep James Vandenberg upright.

Jake Knott. There's no comment to make.

The secondary once again showed their continued improvement despite their relative lack of starting experience. Jansen Watson was rarely beat and stripped the ball the one time he truly was. Both Durrell Givens and Jacques Washington are doing great sitting in center field, which can only be accomplished when the front seven are playing as well as they are.

Don't worry about Edwin Arceo. That missed extra point was just an awful kick. I think he's still going to do more good than bad for us this season.

It really is hard to nitpick things when you're 2-0 and having a good outlook for the rest of September but if this team hopes to compete seriously in the Big XII they have certain areas to improve on. They can take a big step this week by jumping on Western Illinois early and not letting off until late in the game. Looking forward to it and hopefully I won't be writing one of these columns next week.

Hopefully I'm not off base in my evaluations, so please feel free to provide your insights from the past two weeks in the comments.

2012 Game II: Iowa State vs iowa Preview

KnowDan — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 19:01:02 -0000

2012 Cyclone Football: Game II – Iowa State vs iowa

Stadium: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA

Game Time: 2:30 PM

TV: BTN

Here we are, the annual Cy-Hawk showdown between teams battling for the coveted… uh… new trophy designed by the Iowa Corn Growers Association. A clash between two teams vying to not only build confidence but create momentum. Or just two teams and fan bases that hate each other enough to spend the week throwing insult after insult after insult after insult.

So let's get to some half-assed and wordy game analysis shall we?

When We Last Left Off…

Steele Jantz was looking his best since last fall’s game against iowa while going 32 of 45 for 281 yards and two touchdowns while adding another on the ground in a 38-23 victory over Tulsa.

James Vandenberg was looking… something… after going 21 of 33 for 129 yards and Damon Bullock’s late 23-yard touchdown run drove iowa past Northern Illinois 18-17.

Iowa State vs iowa: A History

iowa owns the all-time series record 37-17, but has been unremarkable in the Kirk Fertentz era, going 6-7. The only team Ferentz has lost to more in his tenure has been the Ohio State Buckeyes (8). I knew that stat before reading this column by Brent Blum, but had no better way to make sure his column got linked.

Last 5 Games

Iowa State 44, iowa 41 (3 OT)

iowa 35, Iowa State 7

iowa 35, Iowa State 3

iowa 17, Iowa State 5

Iowa State 15, iowa 13 (Ghost of Gene Chizik past)

A Look at Iowa State’s Offense vs iowa

Last week I had major concerns about whether or not Steele Jantz would turn out as advertised and if the new starters on the offensive line would gel enough to overpower Tulsa. Turns out those concerns were answered… to a point. Jantz had an otherwise above average game, and other than his touchdown pass to Josh Lenz, the highlight was the fact he had no real lowlights. Even Jantz’s interception was forgivable given its height and the fact tight end Kurt Hammerschmidt managed to get his hands on it. Jantz did have a few clunkers for throws but unless you’re top NFL talent that usually happens in most games. What surprised and pleased me the most was a 3^rd down play in the 4^th quarter when Jantz was flushed right, looked across the field, decided against the late throw over the middle, and dumped off to Ricky Howard for a short gain. While this did not result in a 1^st down it did allow punter Kirby Van Der Kamp to pin Tulsa on their 13 and later that drive Cody Green threw the game sealing interception to Deon Broomfield.

That series of plays highlighted exactly what Paul Rhoads has preached since taking over this program and that is a complete team effort: offense, defense, and special teams. Each unit has to set the game up for the unit that takes the field after them and there was no better example than that stretch in the 4^th quarter. To bring it full circle one only needs to look to the very next play after Broomfield’s return: a 5-yard touchdown run by Shontrelle Johnson for his first touchdown since 2010. ALL of this must be on display in Kinnick Stadium on Saturday for the Cyclones to emerge victorious in Iowa City for the first time since Seneca Wallace did this.

Normally I would regal you with stats at this point in the preview to backup my assertions on what I believe the gameplan will be, but there is no need for it this week. Iowa State knows what they need to do to win this game: hold the ball, run the ball, and set up Jantz for easy completions, in that order. As we saw last year, iowa’s defensive line is not made up of the NFL talent it was in the past and Iowa State’ s offensive line is continuing to develop depth and experience. To argue that this matchup in the trenches isn’t fundamental to how this game will turn out is foolish. Jantz will have to be just as composed as he was last week but his composure will take a bad hit if the run game does not click. iowa surrendered 147 yards on the ground last week but 73 of those came on a quarterback draw by Jordan Lynch. It’s tantamount that Iowa State at least match that total to have a shot in Iowa City.

A Look at Iowa State’s Defense vs iowa

Cyentist did all the legwork on this one and a detailed breakdown can be found here.

In all seriousness, I am concerned about this matchup more than I thought I would be. A lot of commentary has been given to how bad Iowa’s offense looked against Northern Illinois last week but all I can remind you of is how bad Iowa State’s looked against UNI’s to start 2011. We all know how the next weekend in Ames turned out.

Somewhere deep in my head I feel that Greg Davis knows something we don’t and we’ll see it Saturday. iowa doesn’t have the depth in the back field to run it as much as Iowa State does but what they do have is an offensive line that still excels at run blocking and blowing guys off the ball. All it takes is a few game breaking runs to turn this game the other way and I think iowa is going to try to do just that.

Unfortunately what plays so well into this whole scheme is the fact that Vandenberg plays better in Kinnick vs on the road, so Iowa State’s ability to stack the box and stop the run will be lessened by Vandenberg’s apparent super human status in the confines of Kinnick.

Despite all of that the iowa coaching staff has to be concerned about the six sacks given up last weekend, which amounted to 25% of the total Northern Illinois had all of last season. Iowa State showed last week that a 12 man (yes, 12) rotation on the defensive line plays dividends late in games and on passing downs, so seeing how Greg Davis mitigates that will be fun to watch. iowa’s line is built to run, and not sustain pass blocks for a significant amount of plays, so slowing down the running game and forcing the hawkeyes into 3^rd and long will be key to the Cyclones’ defensive success.

A Look at Iowa State’s Special Teams

Kirby Van Der Kamp won Big XII Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his incredible effort last week landing five of his nine punts inside the 20 yard line and still averaging 43 yards per punt. Edwin Arceo was a nice surprise as he hit on all five of his extra points and booted in a 30-yard field goal to end the 1^st half.

The one area to be concerned about heading into this weekend will be the kick coverage unit. The long returns last weekend I felt were due to two things: Arceo’s length on his kickoffs and the personnel on the field at the time. Why Quenton Bundrage is on kick coverage is beyond me. His speed is probably the best reason, but I’m not sure his block shedding and tackling are worth the risk to have him out there. Arceo clearly kicked better with the wind at his back but you can rest assured the staff spent a lot of time this week trying to solve this problem before facing an iowa special teams unit that isn’t world beaters but solid enough to create great field position.

WRNL Lead Pipe Prediction (1-0): Shontrelle Johnson finds the end zone at least twice on Saturday.

50/50 Prediction (0-1): Josh Lenz catches a touchdown pass for the second straight game and second straight game vs iowa.

Reason for Impromptu Dumpster Burning (0-1): The Cyclones come out and match the performance of the Darren Davis led 27-9 thrashing in 1998.

Final Analysis

We can spend all week ringing our hands over what the first week of games meant to each team but as we learned last year it’s not indicative of future results. Just because Vandenberg threw for only 129 yards on 33 attempts doesn’t mean he’ll have the same results this week. Same goes for Jantz.

What is guaranteed is a good game by both sides. I thought last year could possibly be the crossroads of this rivalry where it swings back in the Cyclones’ favor for the next few years but at this point it’s too even to tell. It took a masterful performance from Jantz last year and some big 3^rd and 4^th down plays late in the game for the Cyclones to even have the chance to win in overtime so it’s tough to believe that things will be vastly different in Iowa City.

My concern with this game is not the gameplans (they’re exactly the same: run and stop the run) but rather how each team adapts to the other and how each quarterback performs under pressure. Jantz has only started in three road games in his career: UConn, Baylor, and Missouri, and in each one he made critical mistakes that put the rest of the team in a hole. As much as our fan base does not like to admit it, Kinnick Stadium is a much tougher place to win in than the three stadiums mentioned above. Couple that with Vandenberg’s ability to play well at home and I think the scale tips the hawkeyes' way in 2012.

Final Score

iowa 24

Iowa State 20

PS – Leave your predictions/flame away in the comments

IOWA STATE WEEK: a close look.

Purple Wimple — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 06:00:05 -0000

FIFTH in Frogs o' War's series about each of TCU's 2012 opponents are the Cyclones of Iowa State. These little come-from-behinds are impossible to hate; their fire-ball of a coach is a native of Ames and has brought the team back to occasional bowl-eligibility (which is where they were when TCU met them in 2005, under Dan McCarney.)

These little engines that could, and sometimes do, look like USC, and every once in awhile, play like USC, and throw a cyclone-sized monkey wrench into the works. Last season it was Oklahoma State; in 2010 it was Texas and very nearly Nebraska; it was Nebraska in 2009. Who'll be the victim in 2012? While we certainly hope it ain't TCU, one has to approach the Cyclones with caution. And emotion.

WR coach last year, Courtney Messingham, now coaches the team's no-huddle up-tempo spread. Filling in with the receivers is former Washington State coordinator Todd Sturdy. On defensive, former North Carolina defensive backs coach Troy Douglas now coaches the defensive backs.

The biggest question facing the offense-- and the whole team, really, is at quarterback. The two-man race between Steele Jantz and Jared Barnett has been going on for over a year; Rhoads just won't stick with one over the other. Jantz was the starter in the first half of last season; Barnett the second half. Neither ousted the other this offseason. Both are turnover-prone; both got a tremendous upset last season (Jantz over Iowa in triple-overtime, Barnett over Oklahoma State, in double-overtime). Jantz is a senior this season (he JUCO transferred to Ames for

last season); Barnett is a redshirt sophomore and more a dual-threat (he was second on the team for ground yards, 530 on 104 carries). It reminds me a little of Utah with Terrence Cain (JUCO transfer, big arm) and Jordan Wynn (freshman, dual threat) in 2009. In retrospect, it's still uncertain coach Whittingham made the right call trying to redshirt Wynne until about the eighth game, and then going with Wynn. Who's to say playing both Jantz and Barnett in Ames, a lot, is the wrong choice?

Until one of them stops making bad decisions, it appears the starting role will be up for grabs. Redshirt freshman Sam Richardson may be in the mix in '12 as well.

The Cyclones have to replace two very productive linemen on offense, LT Kelechi Osemele and RG Hayworth Hicks. The new star of the line is going to be sophomore center Tom Farniok, if it will be anyone at all. Fellow returners are Ethan Tuftee at LG and Brayden Burris at right tackle. Burris is a tough dude-- he played last year with a broken leg patched with a metal plate. That's the Paul Rhodes way. The newbies appear to be senior Carter Bykowski at LT (or Kyle Lichtenberg) and RG Jacob Gannon (or Shaban Dika). Of these new players, only Dika did not play last year (he redshirted, and then was injured in the spring). So experience is not necessary the issue; experience together is.

The backs and receivers are more or less clear. All of the runningbacks return-- probably. Junior James White led the team last season as a sophomore (743 yards, 8 TDs) after junior Shontrelle Johnson was hurt and out for the season after four games (247 yards). Both were sophomores, and undersized. Johnson is not yet playing at 100%, and still may not be playing when the Cyclones come to Fort Worth. Jeff Woody is the team's big goal-line back.

The go-to receiver, Darius Reynolds, graduated, taking a 43 catch, 695 yard, 7 touchdown season with him. But the next three pass catchers for the team return: seniors Josh Lenz (39 catches for 510 yards) and Aaron Horne (38 for 431, and the Big 12’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year), and sophomore Jarvis West (25 for 141). Behind these proven (more or less) commodities are junior Albert Gary (23 for 287), senior Chris Young, redshirt freshmen Quenton Bundrage, Ja’Quarius Daniels and Tad Ecby, and ex-quarterback Jerome Tiller. There're lots of options, but no known homerun threats.

New OC Courtney Messingham wants to involve the tight ends more in the passing game, perhaps JUCO transfer Ernst Brun. Seniors Kurt Hammerschmidt (13 for 126) and Ricky Howard are better as blockers.

The defensive line is a work in progress. Senior Jake McDonough (35 tackles, 4.5 TFL) is the returner, but he'll move from DT to NT; the DT this season is senior Cleyon Laing. These gents must stuff the run, which hasn't been stuffed in many years. Maybe Roosevelt Maggitt returns from injury at end, either to start or be a solid backup for junior Willie Scott or sophomore David Irving, the ends. When healthy, Magitt may be the best of the group; but that's not saying much. ISU hasn't held a team under 4 ypc since 2005 (the year it last tangled with TCU). Any improvement in that direction up front will only highlight how good the linebackers behind them are.

Senior A.J. Klein is the hoss. He's 6-2, 244, had 116 tackles his junior year, and won co-DPOY honors. Klein is among the best middle linebackers in the nation. At weakside is Jake Knott who's almost as good. He's also a senior, and had 115 tackles last season, winning 2nd team all-Big12 honors. One new starter is on the field this year, at strong side-- either sophomore C.J. Morgan or junior Deon Broomfield.

Last year's Cyclone secondary was actually pretty good. It melted down only once, against Oklahoma State-- a game ISU still one-- but otherwise was decent. Half of the quartet of defensive backs graduated, including cornerback Leonard Johnson, twice a second-team Big12 selection. Johnson's backup, junior Jansen Watson, very experienced. Across the field senior Jeremy Reeves (70 tackles, 2 interceptions) returns as starter. Senior Durrell Givens is new as a starter, but very experienced at safety, where he'll play beside Jacques Washington (90 tackles), who started last year. This season will probably be another pretty good one in the secondary.

Iowa State: Beyond the Box Score Defensive Preview

Bill C. — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:00:42 -0000

BTBS Offensive Preview

So Iowa State's offense should improve on what was at least a decent showing in 2009. What about the defense?

Defense

Overall Ranks

F/+: 109th

S&P+: 110th
Success Rate+: 120th
PPP+: 98th

Standard Downs S&P+: 106th
Passing Downs S&P+: 96th

Redzone S&P+: 82nd

Q1 S&P+: 107th
Q2 S&P+: 90th
Q3 S&P+: 107th
Q4 S&P+: 101st

1st Down S&P+: 94th
2nd Down S&P+: 111th
3rd Down S&P+: 96th

Rushing Ranks

Rushing S&P+: 88th
Rushing SR+: 110th
Rushing PPP+: 54th

Standard Downs: 92nd
Passing Downs: 59th

Redzone: 46th

Adj. Line Yards: 104th

Passing Ranks

Passing S&P+: 118th
Passing SR+: 120th
Passing PPP+: 111th

Standard Downs: 112th
Passing Downs: 103rd

Redzone: 107th

Adj. Sack Rate: 119th
SD Sack Rate: 118th
PD Sack Rate: 101st

I've joked a few times this offseason that if Iowa State wasn't forcing a fumble, they weren't making a stop. It's only a slight exaggeration. The Cyclones forced 32 fumbles in 13 games (2.5 per game) and still managed to rank among the 12 worst defenses in the country according to F/+.

How bad is a 109th-place finish? It is last among all BCS conference defenses. It placed them between Rice and North Texas. Only three BCS conference defenses (ISU, Washington State, Stanford) ranked among the bottom 25. They took the bend-don't-break thing to an impressive place, ranking dead last in success rates (efficiency) while just waiting (hoping) to force a turnover that got them out of trouble.

Of the 30 categories listed above, ISU ranked above 80th in just three: Rushing PPP+ (explosiveness), Passing Downs rushing (congrats?) and red zone rushing. Unless they were forcing a turnover, their pass defense was rather horrid, and their run defense was, at best, decent in certain circumstances.

And yet they went 7-6 with an average-at-best offense. Have I mentioned how much I like Paul Rhoads?

Rankings History

Category	2005 Rk	2006 Rk	2007 Rk	2008 Rk	2009 Rk
F/+	N/A*	114	72	109	109
S&P+	43	112	66	93	110
Success Rate+	64	109	82	90	120
PPP+	25	106	55	96	98
Rushing S&P+	17	97	54	76	88
Passing S&P+	81	109	80	108	118
Standard Downs S&P+	38	100	67	94	106
Passing Downs S&P+	35	102	37	102	96
Adj. Line Yards	16	96	74	55	104
Adj. Sack Rate	77	72	41	79	119
* F/+ data does not exist for offenses and defenses until the 2006 season.

In Gene Chizik's first season in Ames (2007), ISU engineered a rather impressive turnaround after Dan McCarney's final Cyclones team was doomed by poor defense. They improved 40+ spots in F/+, S&P+, PPP+, Rushing S&P+, and Passing Downs S&P+, and they improved at least marginally across the board. And then they handed almost every bit of that progress back in 2008. The defensive line stayed decent in 2008, but everything else fell apart despite freshman Leonard Johnson playing better at cornerback than anybody could have expected. When Rhoads took over last season, the per-play regression continued. The run defense, particularly that which can be applied to the defensive line, disappeared, and they had the second-worst pass rush in the country. But again, they took advantage of the opportunities they managed to create. They intercepted 15 passes to go along with the 17 fumbles they recovered.

Let's just say it's very hard to force 32 turnovers, record 65 tackles for loss ... and still allow 416 yards per game. It was truly all-or-nothing for the Cyclones in 2009, and unfortunately, they will probably have to pull the same routine in 2010, as their level of talent and experience really isn't any better than last year.

Defensive Line

2009 Unit Ranking: 119th (12th in the Big 12)

Projected DE Depth Chart
Patrick Neal (6'0, 227, Jr., 19.5 tackles, 3.0 TFL/sacks)
Rashawn Parker (5'11, 254, Sr., 17.0 tackles, 1.0 TFL/sacks in 2008)
Roosevelt Maggitt (6'1, 242, So., 13.5 tackles, 1.0 TFL/sacks, 1 FF, 2 PBU)
Cleyon Laing (6'3, 266, So., 1.5 tackles)
Aaron Moore (6'2, 244, RSFr.)
Willie Scott (6'2, 214, RSFr.)

Projected DT Depth Chart
Bailey Johnson (6'2, 279, Sr., 17.0 tackles, 3.0 TFL/sacks)
Austin Alburtis (6'2, 269, Sr., 14.5 tackles, 3.0 TFL/sacks)
Stephen Ruempolhamer (6'3, 280, Jr., 14.0 tackles, 2.0 TFL/sacks, 1 FR)
Taylor Mansfield (6'1, 253, Sr., 1.0 tackles)
Jake McDonough (6'5, 270, So., 1.0 tackles)
Jerrod Black (6'0, 279, Jr.)

This may shock you, but I grew up an undying fan of The Underdog. Any underdog at all. When Columbia was in the middle of their long mid-1980s losing streak, I naturally adopted them as my favorite 1-AA team. In one of the 17 college football preseason mags I got each year (probably Street & Smith's), I noted to my dad that Columbia returned something like 10 defensive starters, so surely that meant that their defense would be good enough to win some games. My dad's response: "Ten returning starters from that defense? Are you sure that's a good thing?"

I mention this story for two reasons. First, it reaffirms that I am a godd*** glutton for punishment. Columbia? Really? (And yes, my obsession with the Lions subsided as soon as they broke their losing streak.) Second, it somewhat accurately describes my mindset when it comes to the Iowa State front seven. Only two starters return from last year's starting seven (both on the line), but ... are we sure that's a bad thing? If there were a little more new blood involved, I would actually call it a reason for optimism.

Two starters do return on a line that was truly awful in 2009. Leading sacks man Christopher Lyle is gone, as is tackle Nick Frere. No returning lineman had more than 20 tackles or three tackles for loss last season. If anything, this line might have gotten even better by losing a few more players. What's most worrisome about this line, really, is that there is almost no young hope whatsoever. Of the 12 players I listed above, only five are freshmen or sophomores (two in the projected first or second string), and only two represent any sort of new blood. Bailey Johnson is serviceable, as are Patrick Neal and Rashawn Parker (who basically combine to form one returning starter -- Parker got hurt, and Neal took over for him), but ... yikes.

Linebackers

2009 Unit Ranking: 85th (12th in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Jake Knott (6'2, 237, So., 20.5 tackles, 2.0 TFL/sacks, 1 PBU)
A.J. Klein (6'1, 237, So., 12.0 tackles, 1.0 TFL/sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR)
Matt Morton (6'0, 205, So., 6.0 tackles)
Jacob Lattimer (6'2, 244, Jr., 2.0 tackles)
Matt Tau'fo'ou (5'10, 246, Jr., 1.0 tackles)
Anthony Pritchard (6'0, 233, Jr.)
Carl Kirpes (6'3, 225, RSFr.)
Russell Wright (6'0, 225, RSFr.)
Grant Stonerook (6'1, 221, RSFr.)

Now for a unit that will have no troubles working youth into the equation. Five of ISU's top eight linebackers from last season are gone, incuding two of their three leading tacklers (Jesse Smith, Fred Garrin), but ... this wasn't a very good unit, and it probably won't get much worse with new blood.

Of the nine linebackers listed above, three are redshirt freshmen, three are sophomores, and three are juniors. Of course, they also combined for just 41.5 tackles last season, but we're looking at the bright side here. A.J. Klein was a solid three-star high school recruit, while Jacob Lattimer and Matt Tau'fo'ou were both three-star JUCOs. That doesn't mean much in a conference where most teams' starting linebackers are at least of the three-star variety, but you have to start somewhere, right?

(I didn't do a very good job of building optimism right there, did I? Just know that while ISU's linebackers in 2010 probably won't be very good, they could potentially be starting three third-year starters in 2012. The future is at least relatively bright for this unit, unlike the defensive line.)

Secondary

2009 Unit Ranking: 62nd (6th in the Big 12)

Projected CB Depth Chart
Leonard Johnson (5'10, 184, Jr., 55.5 tackles, 2.5 TFL/sacks, 2 INT, 3 FF, 1 FR, 7 PBU)
Ter'ran Benton (6'0, 197, Jr., 31.0 tackles, 3.5 TFL/sacks, 1 FR)
Jeremy Reeves (5'7, 167, So., 10.0 tackles)
Anthony Young (5'8, 174, Jr.)
Jansen Watson (5'9, 180, RSFr.)
Tahaun Fountain (5'8, 183, So.)

Projected S Depth Chart
David Sims (5'9, 209, Sr., 66.0 tackles, 3.5 TFL/sacks, 5 INT, 3 FF, 1 FR)
Michael O'Connell (5'11, 211, Sr., 31.5 tackles, 1.0 TFL/sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 PBU)
Zac Sandvig (5'10, 192, Sr., 8.5 tackles, 2 FR)
Durrell Givens (5'11, 198, Jr.)
Deon Broomfield (5'11, 180, RSFr.)
Earl Brooks (5'10, 191, Jr.)

Iowa State ranked 118th in Passing S&P+ last season, but that was primarily due to the pathetic pass rush. The defensive backs did their jobs relatively well, especially Leonard Johnson and David Sims. Whereas now-departed safety James Smith was a nice "last line of defense" guy who made tackles but didn't make a ton of plays, Sims was actually quite salty and quite effective. It earned him Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, and justifiably so. He forced three fumbles, intercepted five passes, and made 3.5 plays behind the line of scrimmage -- all very impressive for a safety. Sims was suspended for the season opener for unauthorized use of a credit card, but they should (should) be able to handle Northern Illinois without him.

In all, this is an experienced unit, and unlike with the defensive line, that's probably a good thing. Leonard Johnson was outstanding as a freshman and still pretty good last year as a sophomore, and his likely partner at cornerback, Ter'ran Benton, is a bit of a play-maker himself. Of the eight players on the projected two-deep, seven are either juniors or seniors, and if one newcomer or youngster can crack into the rotation, this could be a damn fine secondary. Unfortunately, it is a secondary that will likely once again be called upon to do too much thanks to the struggles in the front seven.

Special Teams

2009 Unit Ranking: 86th (9th in the Big 12)

Place-kicking: 112th
Net Punting: 12th
Net Kicking: 8th
Returns: 96th

Projected Starters
K Grant Mahoney (6'0, 168, Jr., 26-for-30 PAT, 13-for-20 FG, Long: 52)
P Kirby Van Der Kamp (6'4, 180, Fr.)
KR David Sims (5'9, 209, Sr., 22 returns, 23.4 average)
PR Josh Lenz (5'11, 190, So., 20 returns, 4.8 average)

I can say this for Grant Mahoney: he wasn't very good in 2009, but leg strength wasn't an issue. He was almost as good from 50+ yards (3-for-5) as he was from 35 (5-for-7 from 30-39 yards), and his kickoff distance was among the best in the country. But he doesn't seem to have much control over the cannon at his feet, and he managed to miss as many PATs last year as Mizzou has missed in the last six seasons combined. If he begins to harness his talents a little, he could be very good ... but at this point, he may have reached "He is what he is" territory. We'll see. ISU could suffer with the loss of punter Mike Brandtner. Good punting can do a bend-don't-break defense lots of favors, and Brandtner was very good; his replacement, be it incoming freshman Kirby Van Der Kamp or any number of walk-on candidates, will struggle to maintain that level of performance. As for the return game ... well, any new candidates who can challenge incumbents David Sims and Josh Lenz might be a good thing. Sims was alright at kick returns, but Lenz was awful in the punt returns category.

Summary

There might not be a more likable coach in America than Paul Rhoads, and in terms of managing and maximizing the talent he has, there might not be a better coach in America either. But at some point, he's going to have to attract better talent if he is to succeed. As I mentioned yesterday, he is currently a higher-upside version of Doc Sadler, Nebraska's basketball coach. Sadler always has his team in position to pull an upset or two (usually against Missouri, ahem), but at some point you want to stop pulling upsets -- you want to actually be the favorite. Playing Iowa State in any given season could be a frightening proposition, and I don't think it would surprise too many people if the Cyclones pulled an upset over either Nebraska or Mizzou, both of whom have to visit Ames this year. But without a higher talent level, competing with ISU in the standings won't be as difficult.

Iowa State took the "bend-don't-break" concept to insane levels in 2009, and that is very tough to replicate. Opponents fumbled 32 times against ISU last year, and 12 were completely unforced (I mean, just think back to that Nebraska game). They needed every ounce of luck they could get to score six wins, and with the schedule getting much tougher in 2010, they will need even more to do the deed. Without a doubt, they will be a tough out in 2010 ... but most of the time, they will probably be an out regardless.

While We're Still a BCS Team: Secondary

CrossCyed — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:24:57 -0000

While the circumstances surrounding the front seven (or sometimes just six) of the Iowa State defense seem somewhat dire, the secondary should come into the season as the strength of the defense. Led by a veteran coach in Bob Elliott (a guy once considered to be the heir apparent to Hayden Fry at Iowa), this group should prove to be quite capable. Leonard Johnson enters his third season as a starter in the Iowa State secondary while assuming the role of lockdown corner. His improvement has been evident over the last season as the ball has been sailing his way less (although, who wouldn't have rather thrown in Kennard Banks' direction?). Johnson, along with senior David Sims and fellow junior Ter'ran Benton provide a veteran core to the defense that should give Cyclone fans some hope going into 2010.

Projected Starters:

SS: David Sims (RSSr.)

FS: Durrell Givens (JUCO)

CB: Leonard Johnson (Jr.)

CB: Ter'ran Benton (Jr.)

CB: Anthony Young (JUCO)

My projected starting secondary includes three obvious choices between Sims, Johnson and Benton. Filling in for James Smith will likely be JUCO transfer Durrell Givens, although backup Michael O'Connell could very easily grab the starting spot if Givens falters. Sims and Johnson are both All-Big 12 caliber defensive backs (just ask Phil Steele) while Benton provides experience and toughness, especially after playing part of last years Nebraska game on a broken leg. Young, a 4-star JUCO recruit, will likely see time spelling Johnson and Benton, as well as playing a corner or nickel position when the defense goes with five defensive backs - a formation that may be likely with the linebacker situation. The development of Matt Tau'fo'ou may have as much do with with using a nickel formation as anything else. Regardless, these guys should see the major minutes this fall.

Backups:

Michael O'Connell (RSSr.)

Zac Sandvig (RSSr.)

Matt Morton (RSSo.)

Earl Brooks (RSJr.)

Deon Broomfield (RSFr.)

CB:

Jeremy Reeves (So.)

Jansen Watson (RSFr.)

Jacques Washington (RSFr.)

The depth at both positions is actually relatively healthy for the first time in years. O'Connell started in spurts last year, while Sandvig provides somewhat competent depth as well. Morton earned playing time as well last year, while Brooks and Broomfield are both coming off of redshirt years. The cornerback position also provides intriguing talent, led by Jeremy Reeves, who garnered playing time as a true freshman last year. Reeves is disadvantaged by his height (5-8), though one might wonder if that might have been the main reason he wasn't more highly recruited, as he may possess some of the best pass breakup skills on the team. Watson and Washington will be coming off of redshirt years and will likely be worked into the rotation as well.

Walkons:

Wes Boyer (RSFr.)

Jay Brummel (RSFr.)

Tauhaun Fountain (RSSo.)

Gary Gregg (RSFr.)

Jace Hawley (So.)

Thad Satre (RSFr.)

Recruits:

Adrian Bennett

Matt Thomas

None of the additional walkons or recruits should be expected to play this year. Depth at the position should mean you shouldn't worry about learning any of these names for at least a year. Adrian Bennett may play at either linebacker or in the secondary, but that may become more clear in fall camp.

The Iowa State secondary was opportunistic if nothing else in 2009. If they can continue their ball-hawking ways, as well as leaning on some of the most veteran leadership on the team, it should be one less thing to worry about going into 2010. This season needs to be the one where this group starts to truly fulfill the talent they've displayed - because between Sims, Givens, Johnson, Benton and Young (two four star recruits and three three star recruits - with multiple good BCS offers between them) - there is enough talent to do the job.