Wally Burnham turned on the tape from last season’s Iowa game and showed linebacker Jeremiah George an older version of himself.

George saw a player playing fast, explosive and not second-guessing himself. He saw a player that looked different from the one that started in Iowa State’s season-opening loss to University of Northern Iowa on Saturday.

“I didn’t do that during the game,” George said, referring to playing fast and explosive. “I don’t know if it was me trying to live up to all the hype or whatever and just not zeroing in on what I do best as Jeremiah George.”

When Burnham and the defense watched film Sunday, certain mistakes stood out. There were missed alignments and missed tackles that plagued the group.

UNI running back David Johnson broke free on two long touchdown runs Saturday, one a 37-yard dash and another a 27-yard rush.

“If you don’t line up right, if you don’t tackle, it doesn’t matter how good or how bad you are,” Burnham said. “You’re not going to win a football game.”

The defense started the season with inexperience in the front seven, and replaced junior linebacker Jevohn Miller in the second quarter with redshirt freshman Luke Knott. Knott, the brother of former linebacker Jake Knott, played the remainder of the game, finishing with six tackles and a pass breakup.

The first film session Sunday was a new experience for many on the defense.

“All the linebackers in that room are hard on themselves because we all strive to be great players,” Knott said. “When you see yourself mess up on film — usually you know, too, when it happens — you’re like, ‘Ah, shoot, I have to watch this play?’

“But it’s going to make you a better player.”

As the players watched a breakdown of the first game, taking notes along the way, Burnham saw his players humbled. 

Burnham said that with more experience, improved coaching, better tackling and the correct alignment, the defense can get where it needs to be.

“I think they were in shock that they did so badly,” Burnham said. “I hope they were embarrassed and disappointed and come back with good intentions of getting better.”

George recorded only two tackles in the loss Saturday. 

The leader of the defense sat with Burnham Sunday, looking back to last season.

He also spent time talking with his coach, wondering what went wrong.

“‘Coach, I don’t know,’” Burnham said George told him when they met. “I said: ‘I dang sure don’t know. You don’t practice that way.’”

With a bye week, the Cyclones have time to move forward, and George said they already are.

“We have a 24-hour rule around here,” George said. “Within those 24 hours, it was very frustrating. You look at the mistakes, and you’re like, I can’t believe I did this after working three weeks in training camp trying to master my craft.”