Many wondered what Gene Chizik would add to the Iowa State program after the former Texas defensive coordinator arrived in Ames. With two weeks of spring practice completed, the answer is simple – tough physical football."It gets physical out there," said [quarterback Austen] Arnaud, a redshirt freshman from Ames. "We go hard. It is guys going at it full throttle."
It sounds as though Chizik is trying his best to change not only the style of football played, but also the attitude that accompanies it. These are crucial adjustments if the team is going to improve on its 2006 performance, which saw the Cyclones finish 81st nationally in total offense and 102nd in total defense.
Overall, Cyclone fans should be excited about these reports, as long as the team survives the spring relatively healthy. The training room is already a busy place after the hard-hitting practices. While many teams attempt to avoid injuries in the spring by preaching "high and hard" tackling techniques, Iowa State is taking it to the next level.
"We are doing a lot more stuff live, where in the past we've done more thud and wrap up," [wide receiver Todd] Blythe said. "Now (coaches) want you to wrap up and see if you can take a guy to the ground. (Receivers) do blocking drills for most of our individual periods every day. That's something we need to be better at."
