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Iowa State kicked off its spring football practices this week. Below is a preview of what to look for from the Cyclones this spring:  Offensive returner ready to take next step: Junior receiver D'Vario Montgomery could be ready to become one of the Big 12’s best receivers. As quarterback Sam B. Richardson improves, Quenton Bundrage returns to provide another target and Allen Lazard enters his sophomore season, Montgomery could prove to be the key asset in Mark Mangino’s offense. He greatly improved during the second half of the 2014 season and, at 6-foot-6 and 236 pounds, Montgomery is a size mismatch for defensive backs.
Defensive returner ready to take next step: Linebacker Kane Seeley was thrown into the fire against Oklahoma in 2014 after Jevohn Miller tore his ACL against the Sooners. The junior responded with 46 tackles in five games. The Cyclones have a tradition of stellar linebackers, and Seeley could be next in line. Redshirt freshman to watch: Running back Michael Warren could emerge as the feature back in Iowa State’s offense. The redshirt freshman impressed during his redshirt campaign, landing on ISU’s pre-spring depth chart ahead of sophomore Martinez Syria, who played during his first year on campus. Warren might not win the job coming out of spring but should secure himself a role in the offense as the Cyclones head toward 2015. Most significant position battle: The battle at nose guard between Vernell Trent and Demond Tucker should be one to keep an eye on. Trent started three games as a redshirt freshman and won’t give up his starting spot without a fight. Tucker was a member of the ESPN JC 50 and fills a big need for Paul Rhoads' program. The best case scenario for the Cyclones is both players being disruptive in the middle, thus forcing the defense to find room on the field for each of them. Key midterm enrollee: Tucker has gotten the bulk of the attention among the Cyclones’ junior college signees, but center Patrick Scoggins could be the most important mid-year enrollee on the roster. Scoggins is set to replace Tom Farniok, who was the face of the Cyclones’ offense line. The three-star guard prospect already sits atop ISU’s depth chart at center and will need to make a smooth transition into the lineup for Mangino’s offense to take a drastic step forward in 2015. Question that could be answered: Will Richardson be able to carry ISU’s offense and spark the Cyclones to their first bowl game appearance since 2012? He had his moments in 2014 but was way too inconsistent to be regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12. Richardson’s third season as a starter is his final chance to prove he can lead ISU to a winning season and a bowl game. Question that won’t be answered until fall: Will the Cyclones defensive line be improved? The early odds are not in their favor after losing Cory Morrissey, who had six of the team's 15 sacks in 2014. But a strong spring showing by Tucker, improvement from Trent and the emergence of an unknown defensive linemen such as Terry Ayeni or Gabe Luna could help the overall depth and disruptive nature of the unit.
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