Iowa State football coordinators give updates as season opener approaches

AMES — There's little more than a week until Iowa State opens its 2022 football season at Jack Trice Stadium. Southeast Missouri visits on Sept. 3 for a 1 p.m. kickoff that will mark a true change for the Cyclones after losing seemingly a whole generation of stars off last year's team.

That means new faces across the field, though not significantly depressed expectations for a team seeking to make its sixth straight bowl game under coach Matt Campbell.

It makes for the most uncertain and perhaps unpredictable Iowa State team in some time after the historic five-year run the Cyclones enjoyed.

While there won't be a true sense of what the Cyclones may become until the season begins, defensive coordinator Jon Heacock and offensive coordinator Tom Manning met with reporters this week to give an update on how things have been progressing.

Running back competition

Perhaps the most interesting position battle is at running back, where All-American Breece Hall's departure for the NFL opens up significant opportunity. Jirehl Brock is the presumed leader of the group, but Deon Silas, Eli Sanders and Cartevious Norton are all also in the mix.

"It’s been very good. All those guys have had flashes," Manning said. "Now having the opportunity – all these guys are champing at the bit. Really all four of those guys have done a really good job and have had some really good days.

"Probably most proud that that group has been very consistent throughout the entire camp."

More: Iowa State's special teams unit offers Cyclones the chance to move up depth chart

Cornerback battle

With Anthony Johnson moving to safety and Datrone Young moving on, Iowa State is looking for a pair of new cornerbacks.

"It’s been great competition," Heacock said. "It’s been a lot of fun to watch. Great kids and guys. You’ve got veterans and young guys.

"The reality, though, is none of that group has played a lot of football. So it’s been great competition. To this point, they’ve done a great job of what we’re asking them to do. It’s been a lot of fun to watch."

Offensive line shuffle

With projected starting tackle Jake Remsburg sidelined with an injury, Iowa State has had to go back to experimenting across its offensive line.

"It’s given some chances to look at what are some other combinations," Manning said. "(Grant) Treiber has been in there playing a little bit. Tyler Maro has been in there. It’s been good for us to get an opportunity to give some of those guys reps with the first-team guys, and working different people together and working different guys.

"Obviously it’s not something we’re happy about right now, but long term it gives us a better idea of what else is out there and what else can we do if things like this exist down the road."

Strategic defensive changes?

Heacock was up front about how much overhaul his defense is in for this season.

"We’re really replacing the majority of our defense," he said. "You’re really just trying to find all the parts. I think they’re there. We have good parts. We’re just trying to sort out who and when and how many.

"I think we’re still in that process. We haven’t gotten to that point where we know exactly who and what and when and how many."

Could that mean structural tweaks and changes for a defense that has been so successful?

"There’s been changes around personnel," Heacock said, declining to go into specifics. "We’ve got a lot of d-linemen and linebackers. We’re sorting through it all.

"I still think the reality of it is how we play. That’s been the biggest emphasis and trying to teach guys that are new here – running to the football and the passion with which we play defense. Everyday attitudes. You're still in that process."

Dekkers impresses

Replacing Brock Purdy, perhaps Iowa State's best quarterback ever, will be no simple task, but Hunter Dekkers has continued to draw strong evaluations.

"He has a great idea of what he is seeing on the football field," Manning said. "He can relay that to you and really give you useful information and feedback.

"Hunter has been here for awhile. I’ve been really impressed by his study habits. He doesn’t miss much, and he really has put in the effort off the football field in terms of paying attention in the meeting room and then taking those things and expanding on them once he gets on the football field."

More: Iowa State's Eli Sanders has chance to be a 'dangerous back' as competition gets underway

Defensive leadership

Heacock singled out the veterans in his defense for leading the way with their own stories for a younger group trying to find their roles in a defense that will have plenty of opportunity.

"You can’t go from the back of the room in any program and be in the front of the room and not have done something and survived and persevered and been through tough times," Heacock said. "You have some kind of story to tell. The willingness that I see is for them to share their story with the rest of the team. That’s leadership. That’s priceless. That’s not when coach is around. That’s in the dark. Those guys have been so willing to do that.

"When you can recognize, ‘Hey, I can’t do this by myself,’ that’s real leadership in anything. I think that group has embraced that concept."

Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or  (515) 284-8000. Follow him at @TravisHines21.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State coordinators give update as 2022 football season approaches