Klein stretches his legs for a pick-6

AMES - Iowa State linebacker A.J. Klein rose up, huffed, puffed then sniffed the end zone.

Just a few more steps ...

“Do you think he ran out of gas?” Cyclone coach Paul Rhoads said after Saturday's spring game. “He tugged his way into the end zone. That was good to see.”

It's a well-worn path for the Big 12 co-defensive player of the year, who sprinted, then trudged for a 94-yard interception return for touchdown in the second quarter.

Klein is ISU's all-time leader in pick sixes with three and thwarted a 13-play offensive drive that started at the one-yard line and dipped into the red zone before his disruptive grab.

A midfield cutback created a wide swath of open field - until running back James White caught up inside the five-yard line, making Klein work for it.

“I thought I was in the clear,” Klein said, mildly disputing the ran-out-of-gas theory. “I didn't think was James was behind me so I started slowing down a little bit. I was hoping to just trot in, but it didn't work out that way.”

Klein's interception of Jared Barnett sparked a spate of Cyclone takeaways.

Fellow linebacker Jeremiah George picked off Steele Jantz on the ensuing drive, hurdling one defender while churning up a 16-yard return.

Barnett took the next snap on offense - and saw safety Durrell Givens tip, then juggle a pass at the 24-yard line.

The interception eluded Givens, but Jacques Washington dove in to complete the turnover.

That's three picks in a stretch of five plays.

And an impressive flourish that tainted an otherwise solid day from the offense.

“It was disappointing,” Rhoads said of the string of miscues. “I told the team before that I wanted to see good on both sides. That's what I wanted to see. ... I didn't think those interceptions were all great defensive plays. I think the offense hurt themselves in that regard.”

The defense's effort began up front.

The offense's 66 rushing plays netted just 119 yards.

That was a far cry from previous scrimmages, in which backs such as White managed to break a big touchdown run or two.

“We'd been terrible the past two scrimmages compared to (Saturday),” nose tackle Jake McDonough said. “And coach Burnham (Friday) after practice kind of took us aside and got after us a little bit. We need to do our jobs. We need to fit our gaps. That's important to us and we want to make it important and emphasize the little things.”

T.J. Mutcherson added a late interception for 62 yards.

George's pick helped spotlight his improvement from last season to this season.

He notched eight tackles.

ISU's defenders combined for 12 touch “sacks.”

“We can be a better unit than we were last year as a defense,” Klein said. “Jeremiah and (linebacker) Jevohn (Miller), they've made strides this spring. But, again, even me, there's still things we have to learn and take from this spring and carry into the fall.”

INJURY REPORT: Defensive end Roosevelt Maggitt, who is recovering from a knee injury, played Saturday and had four tackles. Among those not suited up: Cornerback Jeremy Reeves (wrist); wide receiver Albert Gary (banged up knee); offensive lineman Brayden Burris (ankle); wide receiver Aaron Horne (collarbone); and linebacker Jake Knott (shoulder). Rhoads expects all of them to be healthy when fall camp rolls around.