QB: Austen Arnaud (So.)
RB: Alexander Robinson (So.)
TE: Derrick Catlett (Jr.)
WR: Marquis Hamilton (Jr.)
WR: RJ Sumrall (Sr.)
WR: Sedrick Johnson (Fr.)
LT: Matt Hulbert (So.)
LG: Reggie Stephens (Jr.)
C: Alex Alvarez (So.)
RG: Ben Lamaak (So.)
RT: Doug Dedrick (Sr.)

WE: Rashawn Parker (Jr.)
DT: Bailey Johnson (So.)
NG: Nate Frere (Jr.)
DE: Kurtis Taylor (Sr.)
SLB: Michael Bibbs (Sr.)
MLB: Jesse Smith (Jr.)
WLB: Josh Raven (Jr.)
CB: Chris Singleton (Sr.)
CB: Allen Bell (Jr.)

As expected, Allen Bell took the second cornerback spot. The strong safety spot presents a bit of a question mark, as Chris Brown was hurt this offseason. He was one of the heroes of last season's CyHawk game. He racked up over 40 tackles last year, while Steve Johnson had 23.  Brown is more seasoned and has more experience, but Johnson played well at times last year.

QB: Austen Arnaud (So.)
RB: Alexander Robinson (So.)
TE: Derrick Catlett (Jr.)
WR: Marquis Hamilton (Jr.)
WR: RJ Sumrall (Sr.)
WR: Sedrick Johnson (Fr.)
LT: Matt Hulbert (So.)
LG: Reggie Stephens (Jr.)
C: Alex Alvarez (So.)
RG: Ben Lamaak (So.)
RT: Doug Dedrick (Sr.)

WE: Rashawn Parker (Jr.)
DT: Bailey Johnson (So.)
NG: Nate Frere (Jr.)
DE: Kurtis Taylor (Sr.)
SLB: Michael Bibbs (Sr.)
MLB: Jesse Smith (Jr.)
WLB: Josh Raven (Jr.)
CB: Chris Singleton (Sr.)

More close polling has Chris Singleton taking the #1 cornerback spot from Allen Bell. I'd expect most Cyclone fans to pencil in A.B. for the second cornerback spot. Since I don't want to rehash all the names, I figured I'll take this spot to address my optimism about our secondary, especially the cornerbacks.

Injuries last year forced our top three cornerbacks in Singleton, Bell and Devin McDowell to be thrown into the fire immediately. Here's a look at how our cornerbacks fared last year, and their improvement through the season. I'm going to leave out Drenard Williams, who has since left the team, and focus on the returners.

So, how far are these passing yard totals off from the normal production for each team?

So, it's interesting to note how many times ISU held their opponent below their season average in passing yards in any given game - and, they won in two out of the four games when they didn't. One game we didn't win, the Oklahoma game, easily sticks out as the most impressive game of the year, with Sam Bradford being one of the top QBs in the nation, and the Iowa State secondary making him look merely average, including Chris Singleton spearing him on a fourth down jaunt to deny him the sticks, as well as Allen Bell's superhuman interception return.

Draw your own conclusions - was it because of a solid pass defense? Was it because of a focus on the run? Either way, we can see that there is definite potential in the secondary corps. The cornerback group has three guys that are learning the Tampa 2 on the fly, and we saw marked improvement into the end of the Big 12 season (the KU slaughterfest notwithstanding). If these guys can make the jump, and adjust to a defense they're still learning, there's a chance that the cornerbacks will be the lynchpins of our defense. Throw in the fact that two of our top recruits from last year, Leonard Johnson and Ter'Ran Benton, come in, and may see time this year, and it's certainly one of the more encouraging parts of our team to look at.

Holy crap.

Darius Reynolds, a JUCO five star (Scout) QB/WR from Reedley JC in Reedley, California lists Iowa State among his favorites on Scout, with teams such as Arizona, Cal, Clemson, Kansas State and South Florida. He's expected to be brought in as an "athlete" in Division I, which means that he'll more than likely end up at wide receiver.

It's pretty cool to be connected with a five star talent, especially when ISU has never signed one, but the story doesn't stop there.

Enter the wacky world of message boards.

A guy claiming to be Woodley's brother dropped this little gem.

#1 Athlete in JUCO football, 6'4" 190lbs, 4.37 forty, 305 bench, as a freshman he passed for 1,900+ yards 14 TDs, rushed for 900+ yards 14 TDs and played receiver and caught 250 yards 3 TDs. And IA St. is his #1 choice right now...they already offered him.

He goes on to mention that Iowa State would offer him a shot at quarterback, but, if Arnaud, Bates and Tiller have the job secure, one can't help but think they'd drool at the chance to throw to Marquis Hamilton, Sedrick Johnson and Darius Reynolds in a couple years.

What a frickin' idiot.

He was given a second chance after spending time in jail.

He was given a third chance (at a normal life) after getting kicked off the Cyclone football team.

There's a point where a guy doesn't deserve much more in the way of do-overs. Jason Berryman was a beast of a football player, but a knucklehead when it came to common sense. I was pulling for him when he rejoined the Cyclone football team, and I was pulling for him as an Iowa Barnstormer, but I find it impossible to do so again. 

The sooner he becomes disassociated with the state of Iowa, the better. It seemed like he had learned his lesson a couple of times, but all he really learned was how to dupe others. 

Get out of town, Jason. You may well get (though you may not deserve) another chance, but it'll be best for everyone else involved if you just go away. You seem to have no problem finding trouble here in central Iowa.

The Cyclones received a major gift today, as Ames developer (and All-Iowa Attack owner) Dickson Jensen donated land for a new basketball practice facility on the corner of Mortensen and South Dakota. The new facility will be 36,000 square feet, come at a reduced cost of $8 million, and will house both the men's and women's basketball teams. 

While it is certainly not necessary to have a dedicated practice facility to win games (see: Kansas), it is another step that major college athletics programs have to take to try and win over recruits, and ultimately win games.

The practice facility will offer separate but equal facilities (heh) for both programs. Weight room and film rooms will be available for use.

This is a step that the Cyclone athletics program desperately needed to take to keep pace with the Oklahoma State's of the world in order to offer the best for its student athletes. With the Athletics Department footing the bill, there should also be few people complaining.

One can't help but think this is to be a big part in the recruitment of Harrison Barnes, but, nonetheless, its a needed step.

It's the middle of July, and I'm in the middle of beating the Cyclones' potential starting football lineup into a bloody pulp by the time late August gets here, so let's take a look at who will be suiting up in the brand spanking new unis this winter. I'm going to take a look at what I imagine will be the starting lineup at the beginning of the season - it'll probably look a bit different at the end.

Projected Starting Lineup

G Diante Garrett
G Bryan Petersen
G Lucca Staiger
F Craig Brackins
F Jamie Vanderbeken

Projected Bench

G Dominique Buckley
G Sean Haluska
G Wes Eikmeier
G Cameron Lee
G Charles Boozer
F Alex Thompson
F LA Pomlee
F Justin Hamilton
F Clinton Mann (redshirt?)

As freshman typically struggle to pick up Greg McDermott's complicated offensive sets, it doesn't make much sense to throw any of them in the starting lineup immediately. The one exception could be newcomer Jamie Vanderbeken, who should be an early favorite to start at the forward position. There is a distinct possibility, however, that Alex Thompson could start early in the year due to his familiarity with the system.

If ISU is truly moving to a dribble-drive offense as rumored, it should be set up for Diante Garrett to run the point. He displayed flashes last year, and didn't struggle the same way that Bryan Petersen did bringing the ball up in traffic. A greater focus on shooting for Petersen should aid his game, as he is one of the best spot up shooters that the Cyclones return.

Lucca Staiger, if he's everything that he's being pumped up to be, will most certainly jump into the starting lineup. He has a sweet outside shot, but, more importantly, he has a body that should be physically ready for Big 12 play. Craig Brackins is an obvious choice as the team's best returning player (as a sophomore, yay), while Vanderbeken should earn the last starting spot based on supposed talent alone.

Whoever doesn't start out of the Vanderbeken/Thompson duo will need to be heavily relied on in the post, with ISU losing most of their rebounding depth from last season. LA Pomlee will likely see time in a role similar to that of Rahshon Clark last year (granted, much small in the way of minutes) as Pomlee, an incredibly raw talent, has a knack for being around the ball. Don't count on him for points, though. Justin Hamilton reportedly ate a small Iowa town this summer, and has a body nearing 250 pounds - useful to bang in the Big 12, but can his game match his size? Clinton Mann is also a question mark after bruising his chest up in Cap City play - he could very well redshirt if the injury is serious.

The guard court will bring back some experience in the form of Sean Haluska, Cameron Lee and Charles Boozer. I was wary of Haluska early on last year. I didn't feel he was as good as people were proclaiming he'd be, but he wasn't as bad as his performance seemed to show. If he can try to start scoring a little earlier this season, he will see meaningful minutes as a guard sub. Lee was the team's defensive stopper, but, since he can't score, he's still not going to play a lot. Boozer's role this year will depend largely on what we can get out of the incoming freshmen. Dominique Buckley is a talented point guard prospect, but, much like the other freshman, will likely need some adjustment time to pick up the offense. Wes Eikmeier is supposed to be a stone cold shooter, but lacks size and may not be able to play defense at the necessary level. He's another redshirt possibility (but replaces Cory Johnson as the Clone Chronicles "Midwestern kid to root for").

This year's team is full of question marks. Much of the success (or disappointment) will hinge on the growth of Diante Garrett at the point guard position. For ISU to become a concern for other teams in the conference, guys will need to step up, and frankly, make some luck.

I still don't think that we're an NIT team, but an above average season could result in postseason possibilities.

QB: Austen Arnaud (So.)
RB: Alexander Robinson (So.)
TE: Derrick Catlett (Jr.)
WR: Marquis Hamilton (Jr.)
WR: RJ Sumrall (Sr.)
WR: Sedrick Johnson (Fr.)
LT: Matt Hulbert (So.)
LG: Reggie Stephens (Jr.)
C: Alex Alvarez (So.)
RG: Ben Lamaak (So.)
RT: Doug Dedrick (Sr.)

WE: Rashawn Parker (Jr.)
DT: Bailey Johnson (So.)
NG: Nate Frere (Jr.)
DE: Kurtis Taylor (Sr.)
SLB: Michael Bibbs (Sr.)
MLB: Jesse Smith (Jr.)
WLB: Josh Raven (Jr.)

Josh Raven edged out Fred Garrin by just a couple of votes to claim the weakside linebacker position. It's pretty safe to say that through the first 18 parts of this experience, things have gone by the books.

For the cornerback position, rather than breaking things down by left and right cornerback, I'm going to run two polls to determine our winners for the two cornerback spots.

Chris Singleton enters his senior campaign as the returning rightside cornerback and ISU's leading pick man, with four interceptions last season. His 108 career tackles are by far the most out of any of the returning cornerbacks. Allen Bell, YouTube star, came in as a sophomore and made an immediate impact, racking up 54 tackles, as well as one of the most impressive interception returns I've ever seen. Devin McDowell finished last year with 16 tackles after being pressed into action as a freshman. His interception return for a touchdown against Missouri kept the Cyclones in the game. Zac Sandvig had trouble holding on to punts, as well as keeping his knee healthy. Leonard Johnson, Judah Linder and Ter'Ran Benton come in as true freshman with a chance to make an immediate impact. Johnson committed to ISU over South Florida and West Virginia, while Benton chose the Clones over Iowa and Nebraska. The future does seem bright at cornerback.

The top cornerback spot could be an interesting battle. Singleton and Bell both had some outstanding and some not-so-outstanding moments last year, but both have the potential to be All-Big 12 players.

So, radio host Jon Miller scurried onto the CycloneFanatic message boards that the Iowa State-Iowa football game would be an 11 a.m. start....on the Big Ten Network.

Of course, this means if you're like most Iowans, you have Mediacom cable, and not the Big Ten Network. So, the 2008 installment of the Cy-Hawk Series will have the unique quality of not being available for viewing to the vast majority of the state. If you're not lucky enough to get tickets to the game, you may be stuck trying to pull in the game on the radio at 11 in the morning.

It's a bit of a surprise that the game didn't get picked up for national or at least regional telecast by the ESPNs of the world. Hell, even ESPN Classic would have been a better option.

A good three quarters of Iowa has Mediacom as its cable subscription service. So, essentially, you're shutting out 75% of the state from seeing the game...one that could have major implications on the season for both teams - not to mention a matchup that's been one of the better ones to watch in past years.

Why does God hate Iowa State fans so?

QB: Austen Arnaud (So.)
RB: Alexander Robinson (So.)
TE: Derrick Catlett (Jr.)
WR: Marquis Hamilton (Jr.)
WR: RJ Sumrall (Sr.)
WR: Sedrick Johnson (Fr.)
LT: Matt Hulbert (So.)
LG: Reggie Stephens (Jr.)
C: Alex Alvarez (So.)
RG: Ben Lamaak (So.)
RT: Doug Dedrick (Sr.)

WE: Rashawn Parker (Jr.)
DT: Bailey Johnson (So.)
NG: Nate Frere (Jr.)
DE: Kurtis Taylor (Sr.)
SLB: Michael Bibbs (Sr.)
MLB: Jesse Smith (Jr.)

Alvin Bowen's long gone, and he's not coming back. Enter Josh Raven and Fred Garrin. Raven and Garrin are the two main contenders for the WILL linebacker position, and, as of now, it's anybody's guess who will start. Not surprisingly, neither one got much time on the field last year with Ace on the field, but, both made their mark on special teams. Raven racked up 21 tackles on the year, while Garrin picked up 19. 

Both guys are shorter than Bowen, but have similar builds. Neither one will be expected to replace Bowen's production, but a strong year out of either will be a good sign for the Cyclones.

Raven figures to be the early favorite, but this is one position battle that one would assume would last into the fall.

I have admittedly not been the strongest advocate for the Greg McDermott tenure at Iowa State. I thought it was a questionable hire at the time, and he's done little to convince me that he's anything more than what we saw - a good coach at the mid-major level. We've seen coaching skill, but little in the way of tangible results that show actual win/loss progression on the court.

So, for the life of me, I'm trying to figure out why I'm somewhat excited to see what happens on the court.

You see, we've not been setting the world on fire. Two straight 15 win seasons seem to show a program muddled in mediocrity. Constant transfers and defections do little to increase hope - especially when we've lost our two most talented players in Mike Taylor and Wesley Johnson.

But, I suppose there's reason to be interested in this team this season.

We've seen rumblings and grumblings that the Cyclones may be intending to use a dribble drive offense that's predicated on penetration and shooting. We've got a point guard with slick handles that can get into the lane, and we theoretically should be stocked with shooters.

But I think there is one fact that sticks out, staggering as it might be. We have no players with more than ONE YEAR of time on the court at Iowa State. Alex Thompson is beginning his third year at ISU, but just the second on the court. There's new blood in the program, and hopefully it leads to stability.

The style it looks like we're hoping to play seems quite a bit like that 2000 squad that came out of nowhere to finish the season ranked #3. A dominant post player (Craig Brackins/Marcus Fizer) will be the guy that we lean on, but it'll still come down to quality guard play (Diante Garrett, Lucca Staiger, Bryan Petersen/Jamaal Tinsley, Michael Nurse, Kantrail Horton) and guys who can get boards (who knows?/Stevie Johnson) to make it work. I'm not contending we can come out of nowhere, but it's interesting to note that this team is in a similar build to that squad.

It'll largely come down to Diante Garrett if this team is to show progress. He couldn't put an iron-grasp on the point guard spot, despite being one of the most talented players on the team. If he can continue to show progress, and possibly thrive in a dribble-drive offense, he's got a chance to make a huge impact. 

It's tough to see how the seven new guys to hit the court will fit in. There will likely be at least one redshirt out of the group. I see Lucca Staiger in the starting lineup, but the other guys are all question marks. Dominique Buckley will more than likely see time at the point, but, as we've seen, it's asking an awful lot for a true freshman to run a team. Wes Eikmeier is supposedly as sweet of a shooter as Staiger, but it's yet to be seen how complete his game could be. LA Pomlee and Clinton Mann are both players that are known for doing the dirty work, but both have health concerns. Justin Hamilton is a complete question mark, while Jamie Vanderbeken is Canadian - always a question mark.

The fact that this next season is such a question mark, with so many new faces, should and is part of its appeal. I still think an NIT berth would be a success, but I'm not going to condemn something I haven't seen. The Big 12 is always going to be tough. There's no way around it. It's ridiculous if anyone is expecting a team with more than 15-16 wins based on past performance. The fact remains, however, that there's still a chance that men's basketball could be pretty entertaining to watch this winter.