Following a season of many positives, one of the most promising things the ISU football team takes into next season is the one thing that can never be replaced — experienced personnel.

Of the 22 starters on the Cyclone’s 2004 seven-win squad, 15 return, giving Iowa State a wealth of game experience at their disposal.

“We were labeled the whole year as young and inexperienced,” junior safety Nik Moser said. “Now we’ve been here and we know what to expect, and hopefully good things will happen.”

In a rare mix of youth and experience, the ISU offense will return sophomores at both the quarterback and wide receiver spots, in Bret Meyer and Todd Blythe. Wide receiver Jon Davis and tailback Stevie Hicks return as juniors and are locked into their positions.

“We have a lot of people coming back and a lot of things we can do,” Meyer said. “It’s up to us how good we can be.”

As a freshman, Meyer passed for 1,926 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 331 yards and two more scores. He was also named offensive player of the game in the Independence Bowl after throwing for 114 yards and rushing for 122.

His favorite target on the season was Blythe, who hauled in 39 passes for a team-high 833 yards, and a single-season school record nine touchdowns.

“We know that we played a whole year [together], and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be in the upper half of the best offenses in the conference,” Meyer said.

Hicks also had a breakout season in his first full campaign. As a sophomore he rushed for 1,062 yards and five touchdowns, the first time an ISU running back has topped 1,000 yards since Ennis Haywood in 2001.

The Cyclones lose Todd Miller, their receiver and punt returner, as well as offensive linemen Cale Stubbe and Luke Vander Sanden.

“They played well at times and did a lot of good things,” Moser said. “It gives us confidence on defense when the offense can go up and down the field and put points on the board.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Iowa State loses their team leader. Cornerback Ellis Hobbs led the team with five interceptions, returning one for a score against Colorado.

With Hobbs out of the mix, the team will be looking for someone to take a leadership role.

“I think Nick Leaders, Steve Paris and myself — we can be the vocal leaders of the defense next year,” Moser said.

The leadership burden won’t be on the shoulders of the defense alone.

“We have athletes all over the field; we just have to have some leaders step up off the field too,” Meyer said. “There isn’t one team out there where the quarterback isn’t looked at to be a leader, and there’s no difference here.”

Tyson Smith leaves his position on the defensive line while Erik Anderson and Brandon Brown graduate, leaving holes at the linebacker position.

Moser led the team in tackles last season with 85, just two in front of Paris. He was also second on the team with three interceptions.

Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Tim Dobbins will help solidify a fresh linebacker corps — the only position on the field that will be revamped in the offseason. Dobbins recorded 64 tackles on the year, including 3.5 tackles for a loss.

Senior punter Tony Yelk is also graduating, but didn’t play all season due to an injury.