Ennis Haywood is the leading rusher in the Big 12 with an average of 128.4 yards per game. He has rushed for over 100 yards in all but one game so far this year.

Haywood set career highs with 39 carries and 241 yards in a game against Baylor.

Haywood has proved he is capable of filling the shoes of Darren Davis, but there is one problem; Haywood is hurt and still questionable for this weekend’s game.

Against Nebraska he suffered bruised ribs, and it kept him out of the Oklahoma State game.

With all the fuss of someone picking up Davis’ slack, how can anyone possibly carry the load with Haywood gone?

Enter Michael Wagner.

All Wagner did against the Cowboys was put the running game on his back and help lead the team to a fourth quarter come-from-behind win.

The redshirt freshman from La Puente, Calif. rushed for 170 yards, the most ever by a Cyclone freshman.

“My first carry was the biggest one. I think I gained 17 yards, and we have a goal as the running backs to have big plays,” Wagner said. “My first run was a big play. It felt pretty good, and it kept me goin’ through the whole game.”

And his record-setting performance, in which he scored two rushing and one receiving touchdowns, wasn’t enough. Against Texas A&M, Wagner will be playing with a boat-load of motivation.

Wagner was originally recruited by the Aggies, but when they signed Joe Weber who is also from California, Wagner was left behind.

“I was supposed to go there on a Saturday. I hadn’t heard anything from em, and I called em on Friday, and they told me they didn’t want me anymore,” Wagner said. “I don’t know what the deal was, I didn’t want to talk to em after that.”

Wagner said that he has some ill-will towards A&M because of the way he was treated.

“I approached them like a man when it came to them inviting me on a scholarship, and they couldn’t call me back and let me know anything,” he said.

Other schools who had showed interest in Wagner were Arizona, California, Oregon State and Washington State.

“Iowa State wasn’t even in the picture,” Wagner said.

He credited teammates Breon Ansley and Julian Cummings for influencing his decision to come to Iowa State. Both Ansley and Cummings went to the same high school as Wagner.

“Me and Julian live across the street from each other, and when [Iowa State] came to speak to him I would be over there and I would speak to them, but they never thought they would give me a scholarship,” Wagner said.

Wagner said that he thought it was possibly his size that A&M didn’t like. At 5 feet 7 inches and 182 pounds, he admits he is small, but he makes up for it with heart.

“I’m not that big of a guy, but I can run the ball just as good as the other guys,” Wagner said.

Wagner hopes to play more this weekend, but said he wants Haywood to be healthy soon.

“I hope he comes back,” Wagner said. “Playing in the Big 12 is no joke. You get hit pretty hard, and you’re pretty sore. I know how he feels after playing Big 12 games.”

Iowa State Head Coach Dan McCarney is happy to have multiple backs that can produce.

He said the Cyclones “are not gonna change up our philosophy” about the running game.

That philosophy has worked so far for the 5-1 Cyclones, the only thing that may be in question during Saturday’s game is: Why didn’t Texas A&M want Michael Wagner?