Fresh off a bowl victory and a Big 12 North title, the ISU football team will enter the 2005 season with a target on its back — albeit a small one.

Wednesday’s opening spring practice is the first step in seeing how the young Cyclones can handle uncharacteristic preseason expectations.

ISU coach Dan McCarney said the Cyclones are taking a “backs-against-the-wall approach” to last season’s success.

“It’s not a negative, it’s a positive,” McCarney said. “It took a long time for people to believe in us here at Iowa State; slowly but surely we’re getting some more of them that are.”

One positive for the Cyclones is the experience on offense and the maturation of its young players.

Nearly 95 percent of Iowa State’s points were scored by players returning next year.

Todd Miller, James Wright and cornerback Ellis Hobbs are the only graduating players who reached the end zone.

Quarterback Bret Meyer said having many returning players on offense means one thing — confidence.

“We know we have playmakers,” Meyer said. “We know we have guys that can step up. We know what we can do and once you know you can do something, you have confidence.”

With Iowa State flying low on the radar, safety Nik Moser said heading into spring practice was no different than coming off Iowa State’s 2-10 campaign a year ago.

“Nationally there’s not a lot of hype for us going into next year,” Moser said.

“It’s kind of the same thing we’re coming into from the year before, a lot of people don’t expect a lot of stuff from us.”

Tailback Stevie Hicks said low expectations have been the driving force behind Iowa State’s rise.

“When people are down on you, that makes you want to work hard,” Hicks said. “We’re not on top yet, but we’re out there working hard.”

Moser also said the teams’ success at the end of the season was something that kept the players motivated through winter workouts.

“Success drove us,” Moser said. “A lot of the guys realized what it was like to be successful and we don’t want to go back where we were a year before.”

Until the Colorado game, the Cyclones’ turning point last season, Meyer was splitting time with Austin Flynn at quarterback, passing for nearly 2,000 yards and 10 touchdowns — now the job is solely Meyer’s.

In an attempt to get Flynn on the field more, he has moved to wide receiver, and McCarney said it appears Flynn is adjusting to his new role.

“[Austin] caught the ball well,” McCarney said. “It was one day at receiver, but it looks like a good move.”

The major losses for the Cyclones will be on defense, losing the likes of Hobbs, Tyson Smith, Brandon Brown, Erik Anderson and Cale Stubbe.

The backfield and special team units will have a different look without Hobbs’ five interceptions and 71 tackles.

He also had 288 kick returning yards.

“It was different [Wednesday],” Moser said.

“It was strange looking out there and not seeing Ellis Hobbs out there. He’s been here the past four years, but someone’s going to have to step up.”

Iowa State’s spring practice will culminate with its annual spring game April 16. The Cyclones open their 2005 regular season on Sept. 3 against Illinois State in Ames.