A young Iowa State defense will be out to stop the run in Thursday night’s season opener at home against Northern Illinois. The Cyclones will go up against the Huskies power ground game that averaged nearly 200 yards a game in 2009.
Senior free safety Michael O’Connell says stopping the run is their first goal in every game and it matters to the secondary as the safeties and cornerbacks play a strong role as run stoppers. He says this will be a tough test for their first game as they average 195 yards a game last year and have a solid attack.
There are a number of new players on the defense this season and O’Connell says the unit just needs game experience. He says the communication is coming, but they’re not where they want to be yet. O’Connell says this first game will be the true test of where they are right now.