Senior linebacker Derrick Walker’s stat line reads like this for the season: 8 games, 57 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.

When he came to Ames in 1999, this is probably the last thing anyone thought that they would see listed under Walker’s name for a statline.

Walker was originally sought after by the Cyclones’ coaching staff as a quarterback out of Blinn Junior College in Texas.

As teammate to current Cyclone cornerback Jamarcus Powers while at Blinn JC, Walker certainly had the talents of a quarterback, passing for 898 yards and 5 touchdowns in two seasons there.

Upon his arrival to Ames in 1999, Walker was immediately listed as the backup to Sage Rosenfels.

The original plan was to make him a rollout, scrambling, option-type quarterback.

In his first game as a Cyclone, he saw action against Indiana State in mop-up duty.

Walker managed to complete his only two passes attempts and rush for 21 yards in the Cyclones’ 33-7 defeat of the Sycamores.

His only other meaningful playing time came at Nebraska, where he completed 6 of 10 passes for 75 yards and rushed for 22 yards.

However, the Cyclones lost the contest by a final score of 49-14 against the Cornhuskers.

Following the season, Walker was unhappy with the role he had played as Rosenfels’ backup.

Walker approached ISU Head Coach Dan McCarney with the notion of playing defense.

McCarney agreed, and through hours of work with Outside Linebackers Coach Mike Grant and Strength Coach Matt McGettigan, Walker was listed on the two-deeps at outside linebacker going into the start of the season.

Since then, he has been nothing short of a pleasant surprise for defensive coordinator John Skladany, and has steadily emerged as one of the leaders of the Cyclone defense.

With 57 tackles he ranks third on the team, behind James Reed and Reggie Hayward.

Among the linebacker core, he has defended the most sacks and passes.

For Walker, this is the first time in his playing career that he has ever played on the defensive side of the ball.

By the look of things, you’d never know it.