Iowa State has a lot of running backs.

There’s senior Ennis Haywood, the leader of the gang. Michael Wagner, who serves as the main backup to Haywood, as well as the main punt returner. Jamaine Billups splits time between returning kickoffs and punts and put his name on the board with a punt return for touchdown in last year’s Insight.com Bowl.

Hiawatha Rutland may seem lost in the shuffle with so many quality tailbacks on the Cyclone squad. However, the sophomore from Bradenton, Fla. has flourished in a new role this season as a special teams player.

Rutland plays as a returner and a contain man on both kickoffs and punts, covering four squads altogether.

“Since last season, he’s played very well on all four of those units,” said associate head coach and special teams coordinator Bob Elliott. “Not many guys play on all four teams.”

While his major role on the team may be different from what he’s listed as on the program, Rutland said that his approach to playing the position doesn’t change.

“Nothing’s really changed,” he said. “I did special teams last year, so it kind of comes natural to me.”

Elliott says that Rutland has certain qualities that have enabled him to be named special teams captain three times this season.

“Being the captain of the special teams [means] having a passion for playing on the special teams, and Hiawatha really shows that passion all the time,” he said. “That kind of attitude is contagious and it catches [on] with all the other guys.”

Rutland said there are some drawbacks.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” he said. “The good thing is that you’re playing hard, and you earn the respect of your coaches and your teammates. The bad thing is that you have to do it all the time. I won it [special teams’ captain] for three games in a row, and now I haven’t won it and people are [saying] `What’s wrong?'”

As a contain man, Rutland has to change his mindset so that he thinks defensively. He already has six tackles on the season, five of which were unassisted.

Last week against Missouri, Rutland arguably made the biggest play of the season.

With Iowa State up 17-14, he forced a fumble on a kickoff return that gave the Cyclones the ball inside the Tigers’ 20-yard line.

The play started when Yelk boomed the ball a yard deep into the opposing endzone.

“The off-returner was trying to keep [Jackson] from coming out [of the end zone], and he decided to bring it out,” Rutland said. “Adam Runk just hit him, and he was trying to spin and get to the ground. I just happened to see the ball presented and ripped it.”

Elliott said the play was invaluable to the win.

“Without that play and the field goal that ensued, [Missouri] would have been marching to tie the game and would have had to kick a field goal instead of going for [a touchdown] on fourth down,” he said.

The Cyclones are going into their Homecoming contest with Oklahoma State at 4-1 due in part to the special teams’ play. If that performance is to continue, the players need to continue to stress the basics.

“I think we need to really just focus on being assignment sound and get our return game going,” Rutland said. “Last year, [the return game] was a big part of our success, and we just need to get back to that level.”

Rutland wants to make waves at his natural running back positition. For now though, Rutland is making the best out of his new role on the team. To him, that’s the most important aspect.

“My ultimate goal is just to try to be a factor, because one play can change the whole complexity of the game,” he sai