Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads says the defense may turn up the pressure next season. Rhoads wants to see more big plays out of a defense that gave up nearly 29 points per game in 2010. Rhoads says they have to be able to challenge the quarterback in the form of zone and man blitzes.
Rhoads says they will work on a new way to get the pressure after relying on four man pressure in the past. He says the quickest way is to increase the number of people you bring with pressure. Senior cornerback Leonard Johnson likes the more aggressive style. Johnson says he’d like to come off the edge more and make more plays, but will run whatever the scheme calls for him to do.
Johnson says he has been working on his back peddling during the off-season and has proven to himself that he can play press man and he has worked hard on making the back peddling second nature.
The Cyclones need to find a new safety but the secondary is experienced and Johnson feels they will do a better job of communicating next season. Johnson says they can improve in communication as at time they fell apart last year with communication. He says the new scheme has one safety making one call to everyone in the secondary and that will help out.
I.S.U.’s spring game is April 16th.