If hype was everything, then the entire Iowa State defense is young, inexperienced, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Returning starters and hard hitters fill the Cyclone secondary, a deep unit of safeties and corners that are shouldered with improving the Iowa State’s 10th-ranked pass defense in the Big 12.

The slow morph from an area for improvement, into a strength of the defense, occurred in 2009. During the off-season of 2010, it could have been the lack of experience anywhere else or the swagger displayed by the starters, but the Cyclone secondary is the strong point of defensive coordinator Wally Burnham’s squad.

“The secondary is the strength of the group,” said coach Paul Rhoads. “Those guys are going to have to improve daily, improve game-by-game, and I think through 26 opportunities or practices, they’ve done exactly that.”

The safeties are led by returning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, strong safety David Sims, and co-captain Michael O’Connell. Sims’ suspension for Northern Illinois for his off-season legal troubles have moved West Des Moines Valley product Zac Sandvig into the starting role for Week One, but Sims will likely resume his top spot against Iowa on Sept. 12.

While Sims has been held from the media since his misdemeanor charges for unauthorized use of a credit card, O’Connell has taken the spot as defensive co-captain, and the redshirt senior from Iowa City Regina Catholic Education Center is ready for a big season starting every game for the first time in his career. A couple big games at Texas A&M, 11 tackles, and Nebraska, interception, threw him into the limelight, but he’s focused one game at a time just like Rhoads; and Northern Illinois is priority number one.

“I think the last month we’ve really progressed in communicating and understanding and being on the same page [as a secondary],” O’Connell said. “But by no means have we arrived, and this first game is when we can see how far we’ve really come.”

Sims had a team high of five interceptions last season, including 88 tackles, but the redshirt senior Sandvig will have to fill his cleats for game one and will likely see plenty of action in relief this season.

“In our defense the safeties are going to make plays in the run game and the pass game,” Rhoads said. “Having the poise to do that will be [Sandvig’s] top priority for us.”

The only seniors on the depth chart in the secondary reside as safeties, as the youth movement at cornerback has taken shape and given the Cyclones some continuity and toughness.

At the top of the depth chart for the corners are former Freshman All-American Leonard Johnson and junior Ter’Ran Benton. Benton’s comeback from a broken leg to start the Insight Bowl is a story in line with the program since Rhoads’ arrival, and Johnson’s athleticism is a program standard itself. The two give the Cyclones a duo that has the potential to lock down receivers and hit some of the Big 12’s sweep-happy running backs like Ellis Hobbs and Nik Moser used to.

“I think TB and Leonard are both poised to have excellent junior campaigns, as they should be,” Rhoads said.

“Anytime you’ve been playing for that long, you’re in a program that’s building block is developing players, I think they should be in that position going into their junior year.”

While playing the nickel will likely mean the insertion of corner Jeremy Reeves or JUCO Anthony Young, Rhoads has said he feels comfortable with the depth his secondary has displayed this off-season.

“Whether we’re more aggressive in a higher percentage or not this year, I expect the corners to be matched up at the line of scrimmage more than we were a year ago and to do that you like to keep guys fresh,” Rhoads said.

“Having the luxury of four corners to play and rotate in and out will be effective for our program.”

A bevy of redshirt freshmen fill the secondary, providing support for the experienced starting group. Jacques Washington, Deon Broomfield and Jansen Watson have all used their down year to work there way onto the depth chart, and will likely see action during their first season on the field.

“We’ve certainly got better speed in the secondary,” Burnham said. “We feel good about our corners, feel like we’ve got some depth there, some speed and athletic ability. As long as you can get on those wide outs and control those guys, you can do a lot of things with the other nine people.”