The rest of the Big 12 is finding out they missed a golden opportunity.

“Iowa State was the only Big 12 school to offer me a scholarship,” ISU linebacker Jeremy Loyd said. “I grew up a Big 12 fan, so I wanted that chance.”

Loyd, a Pittsburg, Texas native, is making the rest of the conference pay for their indecision.

After two years of junior college football, and one year of Division I, Loyd has emerged as a key defensive force for the Cyclones. His impact was so severe that the coaches and players voted him Co-Defensive MVP for the 2001 season, and the Big 12 coaches honored him with an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection.

This season, Loyd has picked up right where he left off, anchoring a solid Cyclone defense that has helped the squad jump into the national spotlight, ranked 22nd in the nation. That defense has the tough assignment of shutting down this week’s opposing quarterback, Missouri’s Brad Smith.

Smith has been compared to Iowa State’s own Seneca Wallace, with his ability to hurt defenses throwing or running. But don’t expect Loyd and the other Cyclone defenders to panic.

“We face [Seneca] every day in practice, and everyone across the country has seen what he’s capable of, so we’re used to it,” Loyd said.

Coming off back-to-back losses on the road, Loyd and his teammates are happy to be in the friendly confines of Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday afternoon. “We were up against a tough schedule, which is no excuse, but we’re a better team than people think right now,” Loyd said. “We’re not losers and we’re not a losing team.”

For a lifelong Big 12 fan from Texas, Loyd’s most memorable moment occurred here in Iowa, but not in Ames. “I’d have to say the safety against Iowa this year was my most memorable moment,” Loyd recalled. “It was in there house, against a good team, and it meant a lot to us and our fans.”

After a big victory, one would figure that you could find Loyd living it up in Campustown. You couldn’t be further from the truth.

“When I do have some free time outside of football, I just hang out with my friends and play a little PlayStation 2,” Loyd admitted. “Football and academics take up so much of my time that I just like to hang out and relax.”

As far as the rest of this season, Loyd hopes he can help the Cyclones get back on the winning track, and help the school to one of the best seasons in Iowa State’s history. However, his football plans don’t end with a Cyclone bowl victory.

“I think if I keep progressing, stay healthy, and stay focused, that I have a legitimate shot to play in the NFL,” Loyd said. “If that doesn’t work out, I’ll get into coaching.”

No one should doubt the kid from Pittsburg, Texas, that no other Big 12 school wanted. For he has found a home in Ames, and made a lasting impression on quarterbacks across the country.