Grant Wall: It feels really weird writing this, but ISU football coach Gene Chizik opened spring football practice Wednesday night. After 12 years with Dan McCarney at the program’s helm, Chizik, one of the nation’s top assistants, takes his first head coaching job here in Ames. So far I’ve been very impressed with both Chizik the man and Chizik the coach. What do you think of him so far?

Brett McIntyre: Well, he’s been pretty good in the controlled settings I’ve dealt with him so far. Those being the introduction ceremony, and, well that’s about it. I have been at spring practice already and I can say he definitely seems intense and is all business.

Chizik said he wants to bring a physical style to the Cyclones, so you can expect to see a very tough, smash-mouth team out there for the spring game and next fall.

So far so good for the Chizik era, but we really won’t know much until we get into the meat of the season.

Grant: Spring practice – especially this early in the proceedings – is more for the coaches than the fans or the media. Players are getting back into football shape, plays and sets are being put in and – in this team’s case – everyone is getting their first look at everyone else on the field.

Still, there are some things to pay attention to as the Cyclones assemble for spring practice. What is your most important thing through spring ball, McIntyre?

Brett: The lines. Offense and defense.

The Cyclones have to become exponentially more physical on both lines by the time this fall rolls around. Last year the ISU offensive and defensive lines were manhandled at times and awful at others.

The offensive line has already seen one casualty this week with junior college transfer Joe McMahon leaving the team, so they’re already down one guy they thought might be able to help out.

Clearly Iowa State has to see real progress along the lines, otherwise there is no reason to expect much of an improvement over last year’s 4-8 record.

Grant: The loss of McMahon hurts, even though we don’t know anything about his playing ability. The thing the Cyclones need right now more than anything are bodies, and McMahon not being around just makes them that much thinner in the trenches.

Both lines are the obvious – and correct – answer to my question, but the position I’m most interested in is running back. After suffering through the last two seasons of an injured and ineffective Stevie Hicks and a collection of backups who couldn’t hold onto the football, Chizik has the tough task of rebuilding that position.

From his first day on the job, he has emphasized the need for a powerful, dominating run game. Along with the line, he needs the running tools to get the job done. Junior college transfer Jamicah Bass was California junior college player of the year last season, and will be expected to contribute immediately.

This position is the one I will be watching the most.

Brett: That’s another critical objective this spring, and probably the one that’s more visible to the fans, but without a line it won’t matter if Barry Sanders lines up at tailback for the Cyclones.

I think we’ve hit on the two biggest areas of concern going into spring, so let’s talk about a little bit of the softer news within the football team.

Jamie Pollard recently announced the Cyclones will be wearing throwback uniforms from 1977 for the Iowa game this year – no not the ‘Beat Iowa’ ones – identical to what they wore during the Peach Bowl during that season.

Kind of a nifty idea, don’t you think?

Grant: Yeah, I like this idea. I’ve watched tons of ‘throwback’ games from other schools on T.V. and it always adds a little spice to the game.

As we’ve seen, the wheels are always turning in Pollard’s head, and this is another way to increase the audience tuning into Cyclone football.

But the reason for this is greater than just cool uniforms from a different era.

Pollard has been trying to find a way to increase former letterwinners participation in the athletic department.

He has spearheaded the Letterwinners Club for former ISU athletes, and this is a very public way to honor one of the university’s greatest teams.

This 1977 team was the first ever from Iowa State to reach a bowl game, and on the 30th anniversary of that team this is a perfect way to recognize what they did for this university and this football program.

Brett: It’s a good idea in my opinion and should be fun. It’s just another way for Pollard to try and grow the program and its tradition.

Plus, it’s the Iowa game, which has gotten national coverage the last few years, so it should add an even bigger spotlight on the Letterwinners Club, as well the Peach Bowl team from 1977.