ISU quarterback Bret Meyer knows Gene Chizik’s work well.

Leading the Cyclones against Chizik’s Texas defense this year, Meyer saw enough firsthand to know his new head coach knows his stuff.

“They beat me up pretty good,” the Cyclone quarterback said. “That’s one thing.”

Texas sacked Meyer seven times and picked off two of his passes on its way to a 37-14 win in Austin.

Iowa State was also able to gain just 21 yards rushing on 27 attempts. Meyer was able to pass for 274 yards and two scores against the Longhorns in the loss.

“I remember they were fast and real aggressive,” Meyer said. “That’s the style of defense they played.”

As Texas’ co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach, Chizik was in charge of a defense that was second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 21 points per game. The Longhorns led the Big 12 in rush defense, with opponents gaining just 69 yards a game.

Receiver Todd Blythe also remembers the Texas defense.

Blythe was able to catch a second-quarter touchdown pass from Meyer but wasn’t allowed to make the big play. His six catches went for 68 yards in that game, his longest reception gaining 20.

“They were really well coached,” Blythe said. “They had great schemes – he knew how to take away a lot of the stuff we wanted to do.

“He knew to roll the safety over the top against me and not let me go deep. He knows his X’s and O’s. He knows how to coach.”

In his last three seasons – two with Texas and one at Auburn – Chizik’s teams finished undefeated twice and earned an outright national championship last season with Texas.

In 2004, Auburn went 13-0, finishing No. 2 in the final AP poll to USC. In his last three seasons, his teams have gone a combined 35-3.

“When we were finally able to find out officially today, I was excited,” Blythe said. “It was a name that everyone around the Big 12 and the country knows, and he has proven success wherever he’s been. I’m excited to play for him.”

Aside from his coaching record, Blythe was impressed with Chizik as a person.

The team met with its new coach for the first time at 5 p.m., just one hour before he met the public for the first time.

“You could tell what kind of man he is. He’s a family man, he’s a religious man,” Blythe said. “But he’s all about business and he takes this very seriously.

“I’m ready to get started. I’m ready get started under him and be a player for him.”

Blythe said Chizik didn’t pull any punches in their first meeting. He was honest and straightforward – laying out his plan, not what he thought the team wanted to hear.

“He’s not that kind of guy,” Blythe said. “He’s not going to step into a meeting room and tell us want we want to hear. He told us exactly what he believes. That’s good, every team needs that. We’ve had that before with Coach Mac, and it’s going to continue.”

Meyer’s first impression of his new coach was also positive.

“I think we’re going to have a good relationship between player and coach, an honest relationship,” Meyer said. “That’s all you can ask for.”