Barrett brothers bolster Iowa State's ‘super consistent’ offensive line

Editor’s note: Third in a 9-part series looking at the Iowa State football team ahead of the season opener on Aug. 23.

AMES — Iowa State’s most experienced offensive lineman Tyler Miller chuckled as he considered the question.

So what’s it like to now have two Barretts — Dylan and Austin — in his room?

“Oh, God,” said the 6-foot-9, 330-pound senior, who will carry a team-best-tying 27-game start streak into the Aug. 23 season opener against Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland. “One Barrett was good. Two might be too much.”

Really?

“No, I’m kidding,” Miller said. “It’s been great. It’s been awesome just to see them — they have a great relationship, obviously. It’s kind of funny, you know, big bro, little bro. Me and Dylan are the same age, so I kind of take the big bro approach to Austin. We give him quite a bit of grief, but it’s fun.”

Everyone on the Cyclones’ offensive line has been having more fun in recent seasons. That’s because the group has grown significantly under third-year offensive line coach Ryan Clanton. ISU tied for 20th nationally in sacks allowed last season (16) and its improved run blocking became a strength that helped lead to a historic 11-win campaign.

So what’s next? More growth and greater consistency.

“Those guys have been super consistent,” said Clanton, who returns several linemen with starting experience. “I’ve been really proud of that. That’s the difference, in my opinion, between years past and this year. It was improvement, drastic improvement, and now it’s consistent, good offensive line play.”

Clanton does have to replace star tackle Jalen Travis, who was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts. Athletic returnee James Neal should help in that regard. But Canton’s also presiding over a three-way battle at center designed to replace versatile veteran Jarrod Hufford, who embodied the “violence and versatility” Clanton demands from his players.

“I like to teach a lot of people how to play center,” said Clanton, who added he’s worked out eight or nine guys at the position in camp. “Dylan Barrett, Jim Bonifas and Brendan Black have done an extremely good job and it’s a tight race between all three of those guys. They all have something different that they bring to the table.”

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The three B’s — Barrett, Bonifas and Black — also are bringing the consistency Clanton touted to the C-spot.

“There’s not been a drop-off,” Clanton said. “There’s not been a change of pace. And that’s been the fun part about this fall camp, seeing that battle go, because when you do have position battles, sometimes it’s so clear-cut in the beginning and it’s easier for the coach to say, ‘Well, there it is.’ But then, as the coach, you’re kind of like, Well, what happens if this happens,’ and you don’t sleep very good at night. Those guys are like workhorses.”

Once the center competition is decided, depth at the guard position strengthens. Black has started 20 games, Bonifas has started 13, and Barrett’s started eight. Add in Trevor Buhr, who started the final four games last season and has wowed coaches this fall, and it’s clear Clanton will be able to rotate several players in at guard on a weekly basis.

“The game has slowed down for (Buhr) a lot and that’s when you know you’ve turned a corner,” Clanton said.

Best to be prepared when you round a corner and find a leaner, meaner Buhr in the hallway, however.

“I’m 300 whatever pounds and I would hate to bump into him,” Clanton said, joking.

That’s high praise. Right, Trevor?

“Any positive words from him, that means the world to me,” the 6-4, 315-pound sophomore said.

And the Barretts take Miller’s joking words aimed at them as positive, as well. Both big bro and little bro are finally having fun as teammates, not rivals.

“We’re two of four boys, so it was pretty wild at our house at times,” said Dylan Barrett, a former Wisconsin Badger who saw Austin transfer in from Indiana this season. “I played against him at the old place in ’23, so now that’s it’s kind of come full circle and we’re able to play on the same team, it’s pretty awesome.

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