First-year offensive coordinator Barney Cotton moved from a Nebraska team one year ago that won 10 games to an ISU squad that had managed just two victories in 2003.

Even with the daunting task of rebuilding a Cyclone offense that had struggled one year ago, Cotton knew he had a group of players who would work hard.

“When I first got here, I showed up for a 6:15 morning workout at about five after six to get there early and see how guys would wonder in,” Cotton said during Monday’s Big 12 teleconference. “We started that 6:15 workout at 6:07, so I could tell that this was a bunch of guys who were committed and dedicated to doing something special.”

Cotton, filling in for head coach Dan McCarney who was unavailable because of the delay of a flight he was on, saw he had the components to build winners out of the Cyclones.

“You never have a crystal ball when you get to a place,” Cotton said. “I was sure impressed by their accountability and their work ethic.”

Cotton has helped turn the Cyclone team around and will now help get it ready for a showdown with Miami of Ohio in the Independence Bowl.

“We’re excited to be going to the Independence Bowl,” Cotton said. “We played another MAC [Mid-American Conference] school earlier in the year in Northern Illinois and had a real dogfight with them.”

“We know that it is a very offensive-minded conference and we’re excited to be playing a real quality opponent.”

Iowa State, who finished the regular season with a 6-5 mark, was on the ropes earlier in the year.

“I was a little, I wouldn’t say worried when we were 2-4, but there was a little concern,” Cotton said.

Iowa State turned things around, winning four of its last five games and finishing the season as Big 12 North co-champions.

Even with its midseason turnaround, Cotton knows there is more in store for his team.

“We’re still a work in progress,” Cotton said. “As we matured up front, we were able to keep a number of guys healthy, and guys played an awful lot of snaps with each other and that lended itself to some continuity.”

Cotton said the Cyclones have developed talent at quarterback, receiver and running back.

“Other than Todd Miller, those guys are sophomores or less,” Cotton said.

“Once we got a few games under our belts, the guys started to see some success, and we went into games a lot more confident.”

The practices in preparation for Iowa State’s bowl game will also give both the youngsters and the team as a whole a chance to improve.

“We’re going to address all areas of what we’re going to be offensively [during practice],” Cotton said. “Sixty of our 85 guys are sophomores or freshmen. Hopefully, it’s like having four or five practices of spring ball developmentally for these guys, and it will hopefully give them a head start to turn these guys into veterans a little bit sooner.”