Steve Loney, Iowa State’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, became the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line coach yesterday, the Vikings said.

“It was a good opportunity,” Loney said. “It is tough to leave Dan [McCarney]. But those opportunities don’t come often.”

Minnesota has yet to disclose the specifics of Loney’s contract, the team said.

Loney would say only that it’s a two year deal and “we’re not going to have to worry about going to the movies at the end of the month.”

Vikings new head coach Mike Tice could not be reached for comment.

But Iowa State head coach McCarney was available.

He had nothing but praise for Loney.

“I think this demonstrates without a doubt what people think of our coaching staff nationally,” he said in a press release en route to recruiting trips in California. “Steve Loney has made major contributions here when we started building this program from the ground up and when we were bowl-bound.”

Loney graduated from Iowa State in 1974 and returned to Ames in 1995 as McCarney’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

In 1998, he became the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The Gophers were 11th in rushing offense in the nation in 1999, Loney’s last year with Minnesota.

In 2000, Loney returned to Iowa State, where his offense produced a robust 425 yards per game and Iowa State’s first-ever bowl victory.

A Cyclone rusher has eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the season for the last seven years. Loney was there for five of them.

For the past two seasons, his quarterbacks have thrown for at least 2,000 yards.

This is not Loney’s first trip to the NFL. He was the Arizona Cardinals” offensive line coach in 1993.

Loney is preceded by two other Cyclone assistants having found work elsewhere. Associate head coach Bob Elliott left for the defensive coordinator position at Kansas State earlier this month and wide receiver coach Nick Quartaro joined the Kansas staff as the offensive coordinator in December.