Youthful can be the word used to describe the running backs on the ISU football team as it begins it’s preparations for the upcoming season.

At the running back position, Iowa State will have plenty of new faces, but will rely on the leadership of redshirt sophomore Stevie Hicks, who has the most experience on the Cyclone squad.

Hicks will be the starter going into the season, coming off a 123-yard game in last year’s season finale against Missouri. It was his first 100-yard game of his career.

“I think that will carry over because it showed people that we can run the ball in the Big 12,” Hicks said.

“If we can move the ball against Missouri, we can move the ball against anyone.”

Although Hicks is still only a redshirt sophomore, he said he has to help be a leader to some of the newer backs on the team.

“I’ve just got to step up and work hard and show them that you’ve got to work hard in everything that you do because it’s not easy in the Big 12,” Hicks said. “You’ve just got to stay focused all of the time.”

Head coach Dan McCarney said he thinks Hicks is determined this season to work harder than ever before.

“He’s talked publicly and openly about how he didn’t work hard enough last year to be a Big 12 kind of running back,” McCarney said. “That’s not easy to admit those kind of things. It shows his maturity.”

“I think we have a chance to have a real solid position out there for us. Let’s get back to running the football again. We have a good talent at that position this year.”

Hicks will try to become the first ISU running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season for the first time since Ennis Haywood rushed for 1,222 yards in the 2001 season. The last two seasons have been the only seasons there has not been a 1,000-yard rusher in McCarney’s tenure as coach at Iowa State.

“I have to get a 1,000-yard season if we want to go back to another bowl game,” Hicks said. “The tradition starts with the running back, so we have to get back to that.”

During the spring game, Hicks rushed for 164 yards on 21 carries, including a 64-yard touchdown run.

Iowa State will also be bringing in a fresh crop of new backs. Included in those new faces is Jason Scales, a freshman from West Des Moines Valley, who graduated early from high school and enrolled at Iowa State last January.

In his high school career, Scales racked up 6,050 yards, with more than 2,000 yards in both his junior and senior campaigns. He rushed for 78 touchdowns, including a state record — nine in one game during his senior year. Scales rushed for 40 yards on 14 carries during the spring game.

“We’re just going to keep evaluating them,” McCarney said of the running backs.

“It’s going to be hard to get into the mix with the two that we have right now. Stevie Hicks is in phenomenal shape. He looks real good. Jason Scales has been here for a semester, and that has really helped him out, but Stevie is definitely the No. 1 guy.”

After rushing for 471 yards on 123 attempts last season, Hicks said the variety of young backs can do different things for the team.

“Some are quick, some are just flat out fast and some will get the tough yards,” Hicks said. “We’ve got all different types of backs.”

Hicks said there are some tough things about having so few veterans and so many young guys on the team.

“You’ve got a lot of young guys and a lot of people want to get reps,” Hicks said. “You’ve just got to learn that you have to wait your turn.”