The success of a football team is often said to start with its offensive line, and the Cyclones have focused on improving that area this spring, said offensive coordinator Barney Cotton.

Cotton, in his third year with Iowa State, said he isn’t satisfied with the line play yet and improvement this spring is a top priority.

“That’s probably the biggest emphasis we have in the spring is finding out who we’re going to have up front,” Cotton said. “They’re working hard and they’ve brought a good attitude to spring football.

“We were not nearly physical enough as a run-blocking unit last year.”

Iowa State finished last year ranked eighth in the conference in rushing, averaging 111 yards per game and a paltry 2.7 yards per carry.

Partly to blame were the injuries to Iowa State’s top two tailbacks – Stevie Hicks and Jason Scales – but Cotton said excuses aren’t good enough.

“We just have to be a more dominant unit as far as running the football,” Cotton said. “We can’t blame it all on injuries to backs. If we have backs that are banged up or aren’t full speed, we just have to open up holes and be physically dominant.”

Cotton certainly knows how to succeed in coaching rushing juggernauts. Before joining the ISU staff prior to the 2004 season, Cotton spent six seasons with Nebraska and coached the nation’s seventh-ranked rushing attack in his final season in Lincoln.

“This is my third year here, and we have to continue to climb that mountain of having a physically dominating line,” Cotton said. “We aren’t where we want to be yet.”

ISU tackle Aaron Brant – who coach Dan McCarney said is having an outstanding spring – said he can see improvement in the line already this spring and said everyone needs to stay focused on fundamentals.

“We’ve definitely been improving this spring,” Brant said. “We’ve just got to pay attention to the little things. We have to make sure we have good footwork, good hand placement.

“That’s what spring is about, just all the little things that get lost in shuffle during the fall.”

The Cyclones have been banged up a little bit this spring, with all-Big 12 center Scott Stevenson recovering from shoulder surgery and a few others missing time.

McCarney said he’s seen some improvement, but it’s hard to tell when you don’t have all your starters available.

“I think [the line has] been fine so far,” McCarney said. “We’ve had some guys miss a little time, so we’re not intact with all of our starters in there.”

Although just as concerned as Cotton with run blocking, McCarney said he’s also worried about pass protection.

“We gave up too many hurries and hits on Bret Meyer last year,” McCarney said. “I thought our protection offensively has been better [this spring]. That’s a good thing because if you give No. 7 time back there, he’s going to make some plays.”

The offensive line only loses one starter from last year – Johannes Egbers – meaning experience at the top of the depth chart is not a concern.

The Cyclones also return their top two tight ends from last year in Ben Barkema and Walter Nickel, who combined for 507 yards receiving on 38 receptions.