After a 3-9 finish in Gene Chizik’s inaugural season with the Cyclones, his football team is back in their cardinal-and-gold practice jerseys and ready to dive into the 2008 season.

The team had its second spring practice of the season Thursday, and is well aware of the demands it must endure after a disappointing preceding season.

“There’s no question that after last year, there’s definitely added pressure on us to get better,” said senior defensive lineman Kurtis Taylor. “We don’t take that negatively, but we’re definitely trying to move on and get better.”

For a team that welcomed a new head coach and an entirely new coaching staff that installed entirely new playbooks, many would agree that bumps in the road can be expected and even excused. However, this is the second year with the staff and material, and things seem to be moving along a lot more smoothly for the team, Taylor said.

“They’re not teaching us anything we haven’t heard for the last year,” Taylor said. “It’s not necessarily new concepts and new schemes, but it’s just trying to get better at what we already know.”

It’s not just his defense that is learning at a more rapid pace. Potential starting quarterback and Ames native Austen Arnaud feels the same.

“It’s day and night from last year,” Arnaud said. “Because we didn’t know anything about the system or anything, and now we’re just working out the kinks on the stuff we already have.”

Offensive coordinator Robert McFarland said his players can be less tense now that they are more comfortable with their grasp of the offense.

“We’re obviously a lot further ahead than we were last year,” McFarland said. “Formations now are second nature, play calls are second nature. The guys can now relax a little more and focus on their technique and reads.”

Although the playbook may be much clearer than it was last season, the depth chart certainly is not.

“Our challenge is we have to play better than a 3-9 team, therefore, positions are wide open. I think the guys coming back, none of them feel comfortable,” McFarland said.

At the heart of the battle for starting positions is the quarterback slot. Arnaud, who played in six games under center last season backing up Bret Meyer, showed potent arm strength and crisp accuracy in the practice. Meanwhile, sophomore Phillip Bates is also competing for the spot after primarily playing wide-receiver last season.

“It’s a fight every day,” Arnaud said. “We’re both pushing each other. We both played sports in high school, and we’re both competitive. It’s just a grind for us to compete and to be together on a daily basis.”

Jerome Tiller, a prospect from San Antonio, will be joining the two to show off his talents and vie for a starting spot this summer.

“It might take until August 31 [to determine a starting quarterback], it really might,” McFarland said. “We got two guys in there right now competing for it, and got a young man coming in that was signed – Jerome Tiller – who’s chomping at the bits to get here this summer. The competition is wide open. Whoever can get the job done will be the guy that’s going to play.”