They get their names called out over the public address system every time they touch the football, look to break the big play in the open field and see their touchdown highlight on repeat should they see that promised land.

Besides the quarterbacks, skill position players — like running backs, wide receivers and tight ends — are the players who can get a touchdown to their names if they are the open option on any given play. But with that notoriety comes the responsibility of holding on to the football and putting points up on the board.

In ISU offensive coordinator Tom Herman’s new form of spread offense, there appear to be plenty of bodies willing to step into these positions. The coaching staff reports that these skill players are tasked with bringing some wins back to Cyclone football, and while no one claims Iowa State’s skill players will be winning an Olympic 4×100-meter relay any time soon, the offense is designed to get these ball carriers down the field.

“What you can do is teach them the fundamentals, teach them how to get open and how to use numbers and space to their advantage,” Herman said. “You don’t necessarily have to have a bunch of 4.3 speed guys out there running around to be successful.”

Role of skills players in the spread

The Cyclones are placing their faith in this form of this spread, no-huddle offense, with three players out wide and a quarterback in shotgun almost every play. With five down lineman not being counted among skill players, and junior quarterback Austen Arnaud calling the shots, five play options remain after Arnaud scans the defense. The combination could include three wide receivers, a running back and a tight end, or five wide receivers, or four wide receivers and a running back, or — you get the idea. With three running backs providing three different styles of play, two returning tight ends trying to find their place in the spread, and nine wide receivers listed on the depth chart, it’s a shame the Cyclones can only use one football at a time.

A lot of spread offenses predicate around throwing every down or running the option out of the shotgun, but Herman and head coach Paul Rhoads have consistently professed a game-to-game examination of the playbook. Short routes can also be used to open up the field, but Herman’s offense at Rice University last year had two receivers accumulate more than 1,300 yards. Based on Herman’s past success, the deep ball may be an added spark for the Cyclones early in the year.

“We’re going to get the ball down the field a lot more than we did in the past,” said wide receiver Sedrick Johnson. “We’re still going to play the short pass, but we’re going to run a lot more deep routes.”

Wide Receivers

Though an early hamstring injury to sophomore Darius Darks hurts the depth of the lineup, the Cyclones have plenty of bodies ready to fill in his place. Six-foot-three senior Marquis Hamilton, and six-foot-four Sedrick Johnson, are penciled in as the number- one and two options on the depth chart. Each receiver caught three touchdowns during the 2008 season. Transfer Darius Reynolds has moved into the top spot as the number three receiver, at least until Darks returns to full speed.

“They give us some added depth, and they’re newcomers that will step up and be on the field,” Rhoads said.

Former West Des Moines Valley standout Jake Williams is slotted behind Hamilton and in front of last year’s third leading receiver Houston Jones. Senior Joel Zitek will have a chance to boost his seven career receptions by backing up Johnson in an important spot, taking attention away from the middle of the field.

Running Backs

Bringing back junior Alexander Robinson would have been acceptable news for most Cyclone fans after last season’s 800 total yards and six touchdowns. But, in 2009, Robinson doesn’t have to support the entire running game on his powerful legs, as backups Jeremiah Schwartz and Florida transfer Bo Williams will provide plenty of support off the sideline.

“A-Rob, Jeremiah Schwartz, Bo Williams — they do a great job. Especially A-Rob; he’s so versatile,” Johnson said. “He can play inside receiver, he can play anything he wants, so that’s going to really open things up for us.”

Coaches described Schwartz as a bruising runner, and the 230-pound redshirt freshman just passed the sophomore Williams on the depth chart. This one-two-three punch for the Cyclones should give Arnaud plenty of relief on early downs, something he wasn’t able to rely on the last two seasons.

Iowa State’s variety should keep early-season opponents on their toes, and the humble Robinson is ready to share the load if it means team success.

“I think it should be hard, because it’s a change-up in styles when different backs are in the game,” Robinson said.

Tight Ends

While it seems there wouldn’t be enough balls on the field left for the large targets lining up at tight end, starters Collin Franklin and Derrick Catlett will see the field and, hopefully, a few touchdowns by the end of the year.

“They are truly a hybrid position for us in terms of they will stand right next to the tackle and block defensive ends,” Herman said. “We’re going to ask them to spread out wide and stretch the field vertically and horizontally and catch screens, and then play out at fullback positions and get out on linebackers and block down on defensive ends.”

While there may not be a mold for the 6-foot-6 Franklin to fit into the college spread offense, Herman has “absolute” faith that the “hybrid” blockers and receivers on the staff will get the job done.