Nine true freshmen on ISU 2-deep
Iowa State’s first two-deep depth chart of the regular season includes nine true freshmen and is missing the team leaders in starts on both sides of the football.
The look ahead at who is most likely to play in the Cyclones’ season opener vs. Northern Iowa underscores the overhaul in progress as new head coach Matt Campbell and staff attempt to quickly get the ISU program turned around and back into bowl contention.
Even though neither injured tackle Jake Campos (23 career starts) or suspended cornerback Nigel Tribune (26 career starts) will play Saturday, I-State is not entirely void of returning experience. Receivers Allen Lazard (21) and Dondre Daley (14) and running back Mike Warren (10) have double-digit career starts on offense while safety Kamari Cotton-Moya (17), defensive end Mitchell Meyers (12), cornerback Brian Peavy (11) and defensive tackle Demond Tucker (11) lay claim to the same on defense.
Meyers surged to the No. 1 line at defensive end after entering the fall listed as the Cyclones’ No. 2 LEO. The senior is battling back from missing the entire 2015 campaign due to cancer and has earned back the starting job he had in 2014.
The true freshmen running back tandem of David Montgomery and Kene Nwangwu leads the list of nine rookies appearing in the Iowa State two-deeps. The pair has replaced Mitchell Hargis and Sheldon Croney as the top two backups for sophomore Mike Warren, the clear starter at RB.
Freshman Chase Allen shares the No. 2 line at tight end with junior Sam Harris. Allen’s ascent is especially impressive considering he took over 100 stitches after being hit by a car just prior to the start of fall camp.
M receiver Deshaunte Jones and tackle Sean Foster are the other true freshman in the offensive two-deeps for the UNI game. Jones is also listed as the No. 2 punt returner, behind junior Trever Ryen.
Defensively, nose guard Jamahl Johnson, LEO JaQuan Bailey and cornerback Arnold Azunna are on the UNI depth chart. Azunna is ostensibly taking Tribune’s spot on the two-deeps at CB.
The other true freshman on the I-State two-deeps for the UNI game is long snapper Steven Wirtel.
Three redshirt freshmen are listed as No. 1s on the I-State depth chart and will likely see their first collegiate game day action as starters. That group includes right tackle Julian Good-Jones, SAM linebacker Bobby McMillen and safety Mike Johnson.
Redshirt freshmen that could see their first game day playing time on Saturday include No. 2 X receiver Hakeem Butler, No. 2 LG Bryce Meeker and No. 2 snapper Quinn Sonntag.
Notable drops from the pre-season two-deeps to the UNI version include tight end Cliff Fernandez, M receiver Darius Lee-Campbell, guard Karson Green and nose guard Robby Garcia.
On special teams, Kyle Starcevich and Colin Downing have flip-flopped positions as the holder on extra points and field goals. Starcevich is now listed as the No. 1 with Downing, the Cyclones’ starting punter, as the No. 2.
Senior Breon Creer moved from a No. 2 tackle spot on offense to sharing the No. 2 line at defensive tackle.
