Tuesday marked the start of Paul Rhoads’ third season as the ISU football coach with the opening of his team’s spring practice season.

Over the next month, the Cyclones will practice 15 times before the program’s annual spring game on April 16.

“I’m very pleased with the development of our players, our program,” said ISU coach Paul Rhoads on Tuesday. “I’m excited about spring ball because of the competition that’s going to take place at all positions.”

Iowa State will have open competitions for several starting spots, including along the offensive line, in the defensive secondary and, probably most notably, the quarterback spot.

Gone is Austen Arnaud, a three-year starter and the program’s all-time leader in pass completion percentage, and left behind is his two-year backup Jerome Tiller and junior college transfer Steele Jantz, the two frontrunners to take over the spot.

Rhoads said the two will compete with one another — and with James Capello and Jared Barnett, more inexperienced backups — throughout the spring and be evaluated on three things: accuracy, ability to make plays with their feet and decision making.

“Guy can fully understand this offense, but when the bullets are flying, the flames are hot, he’s got to be able to make the right decisions,” Rhoads said.

The coach said there won’t be any panic if the quarterback position isn’t finalized at the end of spring practices, as they’ll have fall camp to get more work with the group.

However, he also emphasized the importance of the development of the group and its impact on the success of the program moving forward beyond April.

“If you look across the country, any program that’s an upstart has a guy that’s producing and performing at the quarterback position,” Rhoads said. “We will be no different. We have to get better play out of our quarterback position if the program’s going to move forward.”

Rhoads said that one of the keys to progressing the quarterbacks through the spring will be testing their decision making under pressure.

To do so, he said he will push defensive coordinator Wally Burnham to call more blitzes and pressure on the offense, something that he wants to continue into the season, as well. In 2010, the Cyclones were last in the Big 12 in sacks with only 11.

“We expect everybody to rush the passer,” said defensive lineman Stephen Ruempolhamer. “That’s the only way you’re going to get on the field, is to rush the passer.”

Burnham’s defense returns seven starters from last year’s team, including five players from the linebacker and defensive back units.

The defensive staff has started to explore different defensive schemes they may try to implement during the spring, as well, both to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and easing some of the pressure on the defensive backs.

Rhoads said that the Cyclones will try to pressure the quarterback, not through immediate development of one of the young ISU defensive linemen into a playmaker, but through blitzes, bringing five or six defenders at the quarterback.

“Hopefully us blitzing can cut back on the time that [the quarterback] in the backfield,” said senior cornerback Leonard Johnson. “We can’t go out [in coverage] forever.”

But, while the coaches are trying to get more sacks and make bigger plays on the defensive side of the ball, they are also working to develop play makers on the offensive side of the ball.

In 2010, the Cyclones were 11th in the Big 12 in both scoring offense and total offense, something Rhoads said was the product of not having players on the field to turn short gains into big plays.

“Schematically we’ve got to be able to attack more as an offense. That’s going to come in the course of challenging more defenses down the field vertically,” Rhoads said. “We’ve got to identify and develop guys that can make things happen individually, regardless of what we do as a scheme.”

The receiving corps that offensive coordinator Tom Herman will use to challenge down field is experienced.

Two starters — Darius Reynolds and Darius Darks — are listed as starters at the beginning of spring practice along with junior Josh Lenz. Behind those three, though, there are three sophomores and a freshman that will vie for on-field time during the spring.

“When I talk about turning plays into big plays, that’s on their shoulders,” Rhoads said about his receivers. “There are bodies there, but they’ve got to do it within the scheme of things and with 11 guys trying to stop them from doing their job.”

Another potential breakout playmaker for the Cyclones is running back Shontrelle Johnson.

During the 2010 season, Johnson averaged 6.2 yards per carry with a long of 61 and scored two touchdowns in limited time on the field.

The 5-foot-9-inch sophomore is starting his first spring as the top tailback for the ISU offense after spending his first season playing behind Alexander Robinson.

“He’s a very violent runner,” Rhoads said.

During the spring, though, he’ll be competing with Jeff Woody — one touchdown in 2010 — James White and Duran Hollis for carries in the upcoming season.

Rhoads said Johnson has already emerged as a leader for the ISU offense, despite being just a sophomore.

The young backfield — none of the four are older than Johnson’s sophomore status — will also provide depth, which could be necessary, especially if Johnson’s violent running style leads him to injury trouble.

“Long term, it will take his toll on him, so having that stable of backs that we feel good about adds to the excitement,” Rhoads said.