Iowa State football's Deon Silas providing spark to Cyclones running game
AMES – The Iowa State football team was clinging to a 10-7 lead in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s game over West Virginia and was in desperate need of a big play. The Cyclones, facing a 2nd-and-10 from their own 36-yard line, handed the ball off to running back Deon Silas.
Silas got a couple of blocks and took off downfield.
“I got to the line and closed my eyes,” Silas said. “I thought I got tackled at first.”
Silas found a hole to run through and raced 38 yards across the field to put the Cyclones deep in West Virginia territory. The play ignited the Jack Trice Stadium crowd that had been waiting the entire first half of the game for something to cheer on offense.
“It was rocking,” Silas said.
The Cyclones got the big play the struggling offense needed. Two plays later, quarterback Hunter Dekkers tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Hutchinson to give the Cyclones a 17-7 lead. And it all traced back to Silas' big run earlier in the drive.
“That is a big play in the game,” said Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.
Silas isn’t Iowa State’s top running threat. The Cyclones have leaned heavily on Jirehl Brock and now most recently Cartevious Norton. But Silas has emerged as one of their top playmaking backs in key moments this season.
“Deon has always been a guy that’s provided a spark, even a year ago when he got into the games late,” Campbell said. “He provided something of a spark, something positive that happened.”
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That was especially true against West Virginia last weekend when Silas tallied a career-high 77 yards on the ground with just six carries. The bulk of those yards came on two plays. The 36-yarder, also a career-best, and then a 33-yarder later in the fourth quarter.
The 33-yard dash led to another Iowa State touchdown and gave the Cyclones a 24-7 lead, putting the game too far out of reach for West Virginia. It with another key play in Iowa State’s first Big 12 Conference victory of the season.
While it may have been surprising given many of Iowa State's struggles on offense, especially with the running game, it wasn't a shock for Silas. In fact, the 5-foot-8, 180-pound sophomore said he predicted that he or Norton would break off a big run during a conversation with his teammate on the sidelines.
Silas got two, including what turned out to be the most important one of the game.
“It’s fitting this his run is kind of what sparks it,” Campbell said. “I really felt like he’s been the guy that’s done everything we’ve asked him to do with great consistency.”
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Silas has only gotten to show flashes of what he can do. He was buried on the depth chart last season behind Breece Hall, who is now in the NFL, and Brock, who began this season as Iowa State’s primary running back. Still, Silas made the most of those limited moments by rushing for 75 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries in five games last season.
Silas still has to fight for reps. But as he showed against West Virginia, he's ready when an opportunity comes. Campbell credits Silas for being more consistent this season.
“I’m just trying to be the best version of me I can (be),” Silas said.
That could be an explosive playmaker for Iowa State, which has had trouble with the running game as Brock and Norton have dealt with injuries this season. Silas tried to help during the tough times and has run for 242 yards and two touchdowns on 52 attempts this season, averaging close to 5 yards per rush.
“(He) gave us a chance to survive those couple of weeks where it was like, ‘Man, what the heck is going on at running back,’” Campbell said.
Now Silas is hoping he can break off more big runs and provide more sparks to an Iowa State offense that could continue to use a jolt this weekend at Oklahoma State.
“It’s really when our number is called,” Silas said.
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State's Deon Silas provides spark to ISU rushing attack
