GILBERT, Iowa — The Iowa State Cyclones wrapped up spring practice in front of several hundred fans today just up the road from Ames at Gilbert High school. It was just the second time the team had been in the public spotlight during this spring.
”It's been even better for our kids to get out and you still don't know what you have until you have a success or failure in everybody sees it and then you got to respond to it and that's a sport you know it's a sense of security when you're just in you know if you got the coaches out there but he doesn't want to be on the sidelines with a little bit,” said Head Coach Matt Campbell.
For the final practice of the spring, they let them play and air it out, highlighted by a Couple of highlight catches on the day. The Cyclones are a team that is young and growing, if you look on. paper the team lost 14 starters from last season.
“Whatever that number is that's kind of like a like a fake number a little bit. But we had a lot of guys who played a lot of football on defense but we're fortunate to have some kingpins that have been a staple of what the expectation and standard is on the defensive side of the football and they've done a great job lead the way for us,” said Campbell.
Defense might be the name of the game for the Cyclones in 2022 with returning starters Anthony Johnson Jr. and O’Rien Vance stepping into more of a leadership role within the program.
“My role has increased a bit I am now kind of like in the main spotlight I want to say as a leader. Like I've always led people and always help them get better and push them to their greatest potential I would say now it's the spotlight that’s on me a little bit,” said starting safety Anthony Johnson Jr.
“At the same it's more of just like in the film just trying to coach as well as like on the sideline giving small pointers things like that and I feel like these guys kind of pick it up quicker,” said O’Rien Vance.
“Some guys had really good spring for us it'll be really fun to watch this video and kind of see man who put 15 great days together but I would say there's a lot of guys that are trending in are in the right direction,” said Matt Campbell.