ISU's Levi Peters: Stars and Stripes (and beards) forever

 By Rob Gray

 Correspondent

 AMES - He's shaved Stars and Stripes into his head.

He's executed a flawless double-leg takedown while making a special teams tackle (there's a GIF of that).

He's sprayed water into his thick, billowing beard in sub-zero weather, just, well, because it adds icy character to his already rough-hewn look.

In short, the legend of Levi Peters, Iowa State's most celebrated brute amid football's most brutal situations, continues to grow - one big bang at a time.

“He's probably the most-liked guy on the team,” said Cyclone linebacker Jeremiah George, whose team (2-9, 1-7) seeks a second straight win to close the season at 3 p.m. Saturday at West Virginia (4-7, 2-6). “He has that same fire that I have, so when I'm looking at him, he just makes me want to play football physically and with a lot of fun.”

That's ISU's leading tackler talking.

That's the third-leading tackler in the country (11.5 stops per game) talking.

That's what Levi does, his teammates say.

The redshirt freshman walk-on linebacker from Gilmore City inspires - in ways both bold and mysterious.

“Levi has no inhibitions when you dare him to do something,” senior former walk-on running back Jeff Woody said. “So he's easy to like from a players' perspective. He'll never say anything about anybody else. He's always smiling. He is just a guy that everyone can root for.”

So they do - from the practice field, to special teams play, and finally, beginning with the Kansas State loss, actual game snaps.

Peters, an Iowa state wrestling champion, counted eight in that game.

He remembered taking the field for three in the 21-17 setback to TCU, which meant more, given the tense situation.

“Crucial minutes,” said the 5-10, 213-pound Peters, who has 14 tackles, a forced fumble and fumble recovery this season. “The score was close. To be out there with the starters, that was pretty cool. It gets me excited to maybe have a chance in the future to be out there.”

Teammates love that Peters appears “out there” in a variety of ways.

He went through three distinct shears-crafted hairstyles in camp.

The Stars and Stripes look he carved out for last week's win over Kansas gained unanimous approval from his peers.

As for mom and dad. …

“My brother knew that morning and I said, ‘Don't tell dad,'” Peters recalled. “He was like, ‘What are you talking about?' Then he was like, ‘Oh … OK.” So Then I saw my dad on the spirit walk and he was just like, ‘Levi, what are you doing?' But I don't think it bothers them. I think they know I'm having fun, having fun with my teammates.”

The patriotic hair-do hit home for ISU coach Paul Rhoads.

His youngest son, Wyatt, took part in creative haircutting for Gilbert High School's run to the state playoffs.

“Mine had a star - a big star - on the side of his head,” Rhoads said. “I wasn't a huge fan of it. Togetherness won out. As soon as they lost, it was gone.”

Peters is determined to leave a lasting mark that goes beyond buzz-worthy hair and dazzling wrestling moves.

Still …

“If it's there, you'd might as well hit it,” he said.