It’s no secret that Iowa State is a running school.

During Dan McCarney’s six-year tenure as head coach, the school has produced the Big XII’s leading rusher four times.

Troy Davis led the nation in 1995 and 1996, Darren Davis in 1999 and Ennis Haywood, whose 1,237 yards topped the league in 2000.

If the spring game is any indication, this year should be no exception.

Haywood touched the ball twice in the annual spring game, for a total of 15 yards. He sat out most of the game with the flu.

Michael Wagner, who set the ISU freshman record for yards in a game with 170 last season, touched the ball slightly more than Haywood with seven carries and gained a mere 32 yards. He spent much of his time with Haywood on the sideline, nursing a sprained ankle.

So what’s all the fuss about the running game?

The fact that the team’s top-two rushers were out, and the ground game didn’t miss a beat, that’s what.

“It gives you a real good feeling going into the summer,” McCarney explained, “knowing that the All-Big XII guy that led the conference in rushing didn’t really play today. Wagner didn’t play much, and he set some freshman rushing records at Iowa State. The two that are behind those two guys were the ones that really were the most impressive out there today.”

Who are those two?

One is Insight.com Bowl hero sophomore JaMaine Billups. The 5-foot-10-inch, 198-pounder played for both the Cardinal and White teams. In all, he touched the ball 16 times, gaining 56 yards.

The other back is Hiawatha Rutland, who also played on both the White and Cardinal teams. Iowa State got 82 yards on 12 carries from the 6-foot, 197-pound sophomore.

Rutland scored twice for the Cardinal team, Billups once for the White team.

“We probably got one of the deepest backfields in the country,” said ISU tight end Mike Banks.

The Cyclones biggest problem may be finding a place to put all these backs. Switching positions is already out of the question, McCarney said.

“We feel that with what we’re doing offensively,” McCarney said, “we need at least four backs. We don’t have any intention of moving any of those kids to another position.”

“It’s a blessing,” Rutland said. “You can never have enough running backs. In this game, guys can go down just like that.”

For now, Rutland and Billups will have to shine on special teams, as both expect to be on kickoff return teams. Billups first showcased his skills Dec. 28 as Iowa State won its first-ever bowl game.

The freshman, filling in for the injured J.J. Moses, returned a Pittsburgh punt 72 yards for a touchdown. He became the first Cyclone to return a punt for a TD since James McMillon took one back 78 yards against Missouri in 1992. More importantly, he helped propel Iowa State to a 37-29 victory.

Billups showed he hasn’t lost a step, returning Tony Yelk’s opening kickoff 41 yards.

“That really sparked us, we’re looking forward to doing that again,” Billups said, speaking for the entire Cyclone special teams unit.

“There’s a lot of expectations from the bowl game,” Billups said. “That’s just gonna boost me up and give me more motivation to go out there and show people I can play.”

Rutland said he has been working on being a more physical runner and a better pass-blocker this spring to earn more time on the field in the fall.

And the production on the ground doesn’t stop there.

Junior college transfer Seneca Wallace, the Cardinal team’s quarterback, put on his best Michael Vick impression, rushing for 72 yards on eight carries.

Wallace provided the day’s longest run, a 35-yard beauty on an option play.

Wallace, with Rutland in the backfield, took an option keeper through would-be tacklers up the middle. He then changed direction, moving to his right, to avoid another tackle and then tip-toed down the sideline for a touchdown.

“I knew we had the right look going into the play,” Wallace said.

Rutland, who tied Wallace for the Cardinal team’s leading rusher, joked that Wallace should have pitched him the ball.

“I told him he should have pitched it,” Rutland said, chuckling. “But then I went and blocked for him. [Wallace] said `don’t hold a grudge,’ and I said `if I held a grudge I wouldn’t have blocked for you.'”

McCarney wasn’t surprised by the play.

“He does those things everyday in practice,” McCarney said of the JUCO All-American.

McCarney did warn that the hype around Wallace needs to wait until the fall when the season gets underway.

“First of all, he’s still gotta earn [the starting quarterback job],” the coach explained.

Wallace certainly didn’t do anything to lose that spot, though.

Regardless of who’s starting Sept. 8, the Cyclones should be able to put some big numbers on the board with the ground game, and as McCarney and Cyclone fans hope, will rush right into a second-straight bowl game.

McCarney said of his junior quarterback from Sacramento, “the proof’s in the game in the fall, not in the spring game.”

That holds true for the entire team, but one thing seems set in stone – running will again be an ally of Iowa State.