Bruises, lacerations and breaks have been by-products of the first four spring practices ISU coach Paul Rhoads described as “intense” and “physical” at a news conference Tuesday.

“We’re off to a very fast start in spring practice,” Rhoads said. “I’m very pleased even the first two days in helmets on how we started, how we practiced and what the tempo was.”

Some Cyclones have been slowed in that fast start by injuries, including five starters from the 2011 season.

Rhoads announced a handful of injuries Tuesday, headlined by senior wide receiver Aaron Horne — the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year — who broke a collarbone Saturday and will be sidelined for the remainder of spring practices.

The ISU head man also noted that freshman defensive back Levi Peters will miss the rest of the spring, redshirt freshman wide receiver Ja’Quarius Daniels and redshirt senior wide receiver Chris Young suffered a shoulder injury and concussion, respectively, and redshirt freshman running back Rob Standard lacerated his leg.

At wide receiver — which includes six freshman or sophomores and redshirt senior Jerome Tiller, who moved from quarterback to wide receiver in the offseason — Rhoads will see more players get opportunities to improve and battle for positions in practice.

“It’s a position group that needs so much growth, I don’t think it at all sets us back,” Rhoads said. “It hurts not having those guys to come along, but there’s still enough growth that can take place that we’ll take advantage of it.”

Members of the receiving corps understand the risks of battling for those positions. 

“That usually seems to happen with the wide receiving corps, so we’re kind of used to it,” said senior wide receiver Josh Lenz. “We’ve just got to try to keep everybody healthy the rest of spring ball.”

On defense, the Cyclones are minus starters at each level with redshirt senior defensive end Roosevelt Maggitt, senior linebacker Jake Knott and senior defensive back Jeremy Reeves all sidelined during the spring.

“I think it helps put a lot of people at ease because in the past if a certain person went down and you didn’t know what their backup could do or something like that, it could scare you a little bit,” Knott said. “But now they’re getting all the reps, all the time going against the [starters]. With that type of competition, it goes a long way in just being able to say, ‘OK, no matter what, we’re going to be OK at this position.”

Knott sitting out spring before senior campaign

Rhoads joked Tuesday that the coaching staff had to hide Knott’s helmet to prevent him from suiting up for spring practices as the Waukee, Iowa, native continues recovering after surgery on a torn left labrum.

“We want to get him into the summer and get him eight to 10 weeks of great training and development so we can have a healthy Jake Knott,” Rhoads said.

While Knott, a first-team All-Big 12 selection last season, understands the need to rehabilitate, he’s eager to rejoin his teammates on the practice field.

“It’s good to have [coaches] in your ear, but at the same time, it hurts to watch practice and not do as much as I want to do,” Knott said. “It’s just the type of person that I am to want to push myself to get out there and to do more.”

When Knott does get the chance to put his helmet back on, he’ll be joined by fellow senior linebacker and 2011 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year A.J. Klein. The senior tandem has combined for 512 career tackles and 26 double-digit tackle games over their three seasons in the middle of the ISU defense.

“I think they can have really good senior seasons even in relationship to what they’ve already accomplished,” Rhoads said.

Rhoads sports spring stubble

With temperatures nearing 80 degrees in Ames, Rhoads was asked about the reason behind his annual tendency to grow a beard each spring.

“Laziness and my wife sort of likes it,” Rhoads said.

Knott said a few players have given Rhoads some grief, but facial hair or no facial hair, they still listen to him and respect his attitude as a “player’s coach.”

“I think it kind of proves to everybody else that he relates to his players and he’s a player’s coach and it’s that type of mentality that he always has,” Knott said.

Heading into his fourth season at Iowa State, you can expect Rhoads to return to the clean-shaven look during the regular season and when he travels to visit with recruits after the regular season.

“It’s just not what I want to represent for myself as the face of the program,” Rhoads said.

Iowa State will practice nine more times this spring before holding the annual spring game on April 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.