The list of positions that need improvement at Iowa State is much longer than head coach Paul Rhoads would like to see.
The Cyclones need better play from just about every position on the roster if they hope to wash away the memories of their 2-10 season in 2014. ISU has a few playmakers on offense, including receivers Allen Lazard and D’Vario Montgomery, along with Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Kamari Cotton-Moya at safety and cornerback Nigel Tribune providing a talented pair in the Cyclones secondary. For Rhoads to get things turned around, the Cyclones need help in the trenches, starting with the defensive interior.
Position to improve: Defensive tackle
Why it was a problem: Dismissals and departures put the Cyclones behind the eight ball before the 2014 season even began with Rodney Coe and David Irving among the interior line options who were dismissed after the 2013 season. ISU turned to youth at the position with sophomores and freshmen, led by Mitchell Myers, manning the defensive tackle spot. The group struggled to be disruptive, finishing with a Big 12-worst 58 tackles for loss in 12 games.
How it can be fixed: The defensive tackle rotation should naturally improve with a year’s worth of experience under the belt of Myers, Vernell Trent and the remainder of the returning underclassmen at the position. Add ESPN JC50 defensive tackle Demond Tucker -- who turned down offers from Kansas State, TCU, Arizona State and others -- into the mix and the defensive tackle spot looks a lot stronger heading into 2015 than it did before the 2014 campaign.
Early 2015 outlook: It would take a major leap for ISU’s defensive tackles to become among the Big 12’s best but the group looks like it is on the road to providing a much-improved foundation for the Cyclones to build a defense around. If Tucker lives up to his recruiting hype and becomes a force in the middle, it would allow the young defensive tackles on the roster to gradually improve without being asked to be the anchors in the middle. Improved production from the Cyclones defensive tackles would be the first step toward an improved ISU defense.