Iowa State football: 5 Southeast Missouri State players to watch

AMES — It’s finally game week. Again.

And this season, Iowa State reboots without a handful of the program’s all-time best performers, but a talented cast of up-and-comers hopes to smooth the transition.

It’s both an exciting and uncertain time, especially on the offensive line, where the Cyclones already are navigating dicey waters after projected starting tackle Jake Remsburg’s fall camp injury that could keep him out of the lineup for Saturday’s opener against Southeast Missouri State.

“You want to have continuity, but you also want to have competition and we’re fortunate to have it,” ISU head coach Matt Campbell said.

The Cyclones also have an opponent to prepare for, so in light of that fact, here are five players to watch for the FCS Southeast Missouri State Redhawks.

Running back Geno Hess

The Peoria, Ill., native is 971 yards away from becoming the school’s all-time leading rusher — and he retains two seasons of eligibility in which to almost certainly accomplish that feat.

Hess rushed for 1,116 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. The 5-foot-8, 209-pounder can dart past or run through would-be tacklers and also is just five ground-based trips to the end zone away from becoming the school’s career leader in rushing touchdowns. That benchmark has stood for 54 years and Hess carries a streak of five straight 100-yard rushing games into the season-opener in Ames.

Hess is the preseason Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year and sits among 35 players on the 2022 Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year) preseason watch list. He also excels at ball security and has never lost a fumble in his career.

Quarterback Paxton DeLaurent

DeLaurent was recently named the Redhawks’ Game 1 starter after transferring in — and up — from Central Methodist (Mo.) University.

The 6-5, 215-pound sophomore poses a dual threat. He threw for 2,499 yards and 25 touchdowns last season while running for 553 yards and seven touchdowns. He displaced last season’s starter, CJ Ogbonna, but both will likely play in the opener, or at various times this season.

“Both Paxton and CJ will have to help our football team this year,” SEMO head coach Tom Matukewicz said on the program’s website.

DeLaurent first gained notice from Matukewicz and his staff after his mother, Heather, sent a letter to the program.

“Paxton has shown to be very accurate in his ability to create,” said Matukewicz, who served two seasons as Campbell’s defensive coordinator at Toledo before becoming the Redhawks’ head coach. “He has stepped up several times and manages our offense well.”

Punter Zach Haynes

The two-time first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection is adept at flipping field position — something that adversely impacted ISU in 2021.

He averaged 41.2 yards per punt last season and pinned 24 of his kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Haynes dropped a 76-yard punt on Eastern Illinois last season and was a semifinalist for the FCS Punter of the Year Award.

Linebacker Bryce Norman

The 6-foot, 228-pound sophomore is a ball hawk for the Redhawks and forced a team-best three fumbles as a freshman last season.

He also led the team in tackles (66) and solo tackles (32) while sprinkling in 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He recorded double-digit tackles in two games and earned first-team Phil Steele Freshman All-America honors on a defense that ranked 90th among FCS teams in scoring defense (31.0 points per game).

Wide receiver Johnny King

The Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., native is a skilled playmaker and his length — he stands 6-4 and weighs 206 pounds — can be a problem for defensive backs.

He averaged 18.7 yards per catch last season and led the team with 499 receiving yards and five touchdowns through the air. The senior caught seven passes that spanned 20 or more yards last season, including a 55-yarder against Murray State.

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