LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
KUED·SPORTS
AUGUST, 1996 PAGE 59E
九
Cyclones coach 'proud of progress'
BY ANDREW HARTSOCK
JOURNAL-WORLD SPORTS WRITER
Some considered Iowa State's 3-8 record last football season a minor miracle.
ISU coach Dan McCarney did not.
"I'm never going to be proud of 3-8," second-year coach McCarney said. "But I am real proud of our progress. And
we've got a good nucleus coming back."
That nucleus is bunched around Troy Davis, the nation's leading rusher last season with 2,010 yards. Davis, a junior, placed fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting after becoming the first sophomore to crack the 2,000-yard barrier.
"He is one of the most sensational football players I've ever been around," McCarney said. "He's got a lot of Godgiven talent."
Eight offensive and seven defensive starters return from last year, and freshman Darren Davis — Troy Davis' ballyhooed brother — debuts at running back.
The big questions in McCar-
ney's mind are whether the Cyclones can develop enough of a passing attack to protect their star running back, and whether the ISU defense can actually stop somebody.
"Last year, we had three four games where we scored only 10 points," McCarney said. "That's inexcusable with
the best running back in college football. When you start seeing eight,- nine-man fronts, you gotta protect and pass the ball or people are going to giggle and laugh at you."
Both of ISU's quarterbacks return. A third, Jeff St. Clair, has moved to the defensive secondary.
The ISU defense ranked last in the Big Eight last season in rushing, scoring and total defense. And it ranked 108th nationally in rushing defense.
"There wasn't one phase of defense I was happy with last year," McCarney said. "That's a real helpless feeling."
Season ticket sales are up in Ames, Iowa, and the players, at least, are confident they'll move forward.
"I was here when we were at rock-bottom," said ISU safety Mike Lincavage. "When (McCarney) came in, he got the support of students and people in the state. That gets the team motivated. That's how we make strides."
But the start of the Big 12 didn't do the Cyclones any favors.
"Our whole focus going into the season is to improve as a football team," McCarney
said. "We're playing the toughest schedule in the history of Iowa State.
"Hopefully, when we look back on this season, we'll be able to see tangible improvement. We're ready to be underdogs in 11 games this year. I don't care about that. If we get some amount of respect back, that's our goal."
Iowa State will play host to Kansas on Nov. 2. KU beat the Cyclones, 34-7, last season.