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Schwartz channeling inner Brandon Jacobs
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-08-13
Since spring practice, the Iowa State football coaching staff has wanted Jeremiah Schwartz to search for his inner Brandon Jacobs and Ron Dayne. Through the first third of fall camp, the 5-foot-11, 232-pound back appears to have found it as he’s impressing coaches with his bruising, north-south running style.
“He is real physical with his play, and I don’t think in the spring he was that physical,” running backs coach Kenith Pope said.
Pope said Schwartz stood out during goal line drills on Tuesday and is seeing things a lot clearer on the field. In the past, Pope has said Schwartz spent too much time moving laterally and trying to turn each carry into a touchdown.
Schwartz redshirted last year after rushing for more than 1,700 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior at Edgewater High School in Florida. If Schwartz continues to embrace his new running style, Pope thinks he could be an asset for the offense.
“He is just going in and giving us what the play allows,” Pope said. “He is not trying to get a 60-yard play if it’s geared to go five, and if it can (turn into a big play), he is ready to make it happen.”
New faces in Ames
Defensive back Earl Brooks and linebacker Jon Watts have been added to the roster. Brooks is a 5-foot-11 190-pound junior who transferred from the College of the Desert (Calif.). He is on scholarship. Watts, a 6-foot-2 junior linebacker, is listed at 205 pounds. He is a walk-on who transferred from Butte Community College (Calif.).
“Sometimes patience is a virtue with some of those kids, but you have to be real active with that evaluation just like you do during the year-round process,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said.
College of the Desert football coach Dean Dowty, who Rhoads coached at Utah State, turned the Cyclone head coach onto Brooks.
ISU looked at Watts during the winter recruiting period, but didn’t offer him a scholarship. Rivals.com reported in March that Watts verbally committed to Kansas. Watts, who declined an interview, had 75 tackles and 10 sacks in 2008 before ending up at ISU.
Lyle standing out at defensive end
Defensive line coach Curtis Bray said Christopher Lyle has caught his eye. The senior defensive end is looking to step into the starting spot vacated by the graduation of Kurtis Taylor.
“Chris Lyle has stood out, and hopefully he can take another jump to another level,” Bray said. “He was kind of sick in the spring, had mono, we didn’t really know it, but he looked drained. He’s playing well.”
Bray also said redshirt freshman Roosevelt Maggitt is stepping up on the second unit.
“He is doing a good job,” Bray said. “I keep telling him you are fighting for reps.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929, or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2009-08-13
Iowa State running back Jeremiah Schwartz breaks free from a tackle during practice on Aug. 6.
Tribune File photo
Tribune File photo
Since spring practice, the Iowa State football coaching staff has wanted Jeremiah Schwartz to search for his inner Brandon Jacobs and Ron Dayne. Through the first third of fall camp, the 5-foot-11, 232-pound back appears to have found it as he’s impressing coaches with his bruising, north-south running style.
“He is real physical with his play, and I don’t think in the spring he was that physical,” running backs coach Kenith Pope said.
Pope said Schwartz stood out during goal line drills on Tuesday and is seeing things a lot clearer on the field. In the past, Pope has said Schwartz spent too much time moving laterally and trying to turn each carry into a touchdown.
Schwartz redshirted last year after rushing for more than 1,700 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior at Edgewater High School in Florida. If Schwartz continues to embrace his new running style, Pope thinks he could be an asset for the offense.
“He is just going in and giving us what the play allows,” Pope said. “He is not trying to get a 60-yard play if it’s geared to go five, and if it can (turn into a big play), he is ready to make it happen.”
New faces in Ames
Defensive back Earl Brooks and linebacker Jon Watts have been added to the roster. Brooks is a 5-foot-11 190-pound junior who transferred from the College of the Desert (Calif.). He is on scholarship. Watts, a 6-foot-2 junior linebacker, is listed at 205 pounds. He is a walk-on who transferred from Butte Community College (Calif.).
“Sometimes patience is a virtue with some of those kids, but you have to be real active with that evaluation just like you do during the year-round process,” ISU coach Paul Rhoads said.
College of the Desert football coach Dean Dowty, who Rhoads coached at Utah State, turned the Cyclone head coach onto Brooks.
ISU looked at Watts during the winter recruiting period, but didn’t offer him a scholarship. Rivals.com reported in March that Watts verbally committed to Kansas. Watts, who declined an interview, had 75 tackles and 10 sacks in 2008 before ending up at ISU.
Lyle standing out at defensive end
Defensive line coach Curtis Bray said Christopher Lyle has caught his eye. The senior defensive end is looking to step into the starting spot vacated by the graduation of Kurtis Taylor.
“Chris Lyle has stood out, and hopefully he can take another jump to another level,” Bray said. “He was kind of sick in the spring, had mono, we didn’t really know it, but he looked drained. He’s playing well.”
Bray also said redshirt freshman Roosevelt Maggitt is stepping up on the second unit.
“He is doing a good job,” Bray said. “I keep telling him you are fighting for reps.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929, or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
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