ISU looks to crank up pressure on QBs

Pressure is the buzzword this spring with Iowa State's football team.

The defense wants to create a lot more of it, and Coach Paul Rhoads will be on defensive coordinator Wally Burnham's behind to experiment with ways to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable.

“To become a good blitzing team and a good blitzing player you have to practice it and call it,” Rhoads said. “I'll put a little pressure on Wally to do that this spring.”

The Cyclones put very little stress on the quarterback last season and finished with just 11 sacks.

Only four others (Western Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State and Minnesota) among the 120 FBS programs had as many or fewer.

“They are such a big play in a football game,” said linebacker Jake Knott. “They change momentum so much. We need to get a lot more of those.”

Sacks or not, ISU needs to pressure the passer with a lot more frequency. Using the blitz is likely how it'll have to happen.

“(Last year) we didn't pressure much,” Rhoads said. “We relied on four-man pressure and four guys winning and that's not easily done. To do that you are putting yourself at risk having less guys down the field to defend.”

The trade off is rushed decisions with added defenders running at the quarterback.

Blitzes weren't in the game plan much a year ago until later in the season. Knott's number was called on some of those, and he's looking for more of the same.

“I like blitzing and I like hitting people,” said Knott, who was an all-Big 12 pick as a sophomore with 130 tackles, four interceptions and four forced fumbles. “We'll finally get to do a little more of that. I like getting after the quarterback and taking on a blocker. I'm looking forward to it.”

It'll make it a little less challenging for those in coverage.

Opponents completed 64 percent of their passes last season but did well in allowing just 221.9 yards passing per game. The number can get better - with pressure.

“If we switch it up and send some guys off the edge or up the middle it would open up a lot of things,” cornerback Leonard Johnson said. “We can't cover forever. By us blitzing that would cut back on the time the quarterback is in the backfield.”

Defensive end Jacob Lattimer was the team's top pass rusher last year.Roosevelt Maggitt, Patrick Neal and junior college transfer Rony Nelson will need to help. Rhoads would like to see his other linemen help with that, like Stephen Ruempohlhamer.

The senior started every game last year at nose guard and is the Cyclones' most veteran player on the line.

“He has a great opportunity to become an impact guy,” Rhoads said. “Our offensive line has a lot of respect for our interior guys. We'd like to see that show up on Saturdays.”

Ruempohlhamer is excited about the prospect of being singled up on his blocker.

“If we do blitz more that leaves more one-on-one pass rushes,” he said.